NO20210907A1 - Propulsionsystem for equipment used in a fish cage - Google Patents

Description

Propulsion system

Field of the invention

The present invention relates generally to fish cages for fish farming. More particularly the present invention relates to a propulsion system for propulsion of equipment used in relation to fish cages.

Background of the invention

Today, the fish farming industry has large challenges with respect to daily operation and not at least treatment and prevention of the salmon lice problem. The prevailing lice treatments are expensive and resource demanding, and results in enormous consequences on loss of growth, and poorer feed factor, on top of increased mortality, bad fish health and reduced deployment. Another challenge is cleaning of net cage walls to remove fouling, algae, and crustacean without damaging the fish cage.

There are several known methods in the fight against salmon lice in the fish farming industry. The fish farming industry is still dependent on medication and/or medicinal methods for treatment of fish parasites, especially salmon lice, but in many places, it is experienced that use of such medication and/or medicinal methods have a reduced or little treatment effect, due to the salmon lice’s ability to develop resistance to drugs or chemicals used in these methods. Such methods, often involving complicated delousing operations, will also result in that fish is/are injured and/or has/have died. Furthermore, such methods are very cumbersome and expensive operations that demand huge resources and several working boats.

Non-medication and/or medical methods are today more widespread but require at least as many boats in an operation phase and usually lead to a greater mortality than medication and/or medicinal methods. Furthermore, during the crowding of the fish through use of a seine or closing net, there are also a large number of salmon lice that will let go of the host in the chaos and swim freely in the fish cage while waiting for the fish to be returned back to the fish cage after a lice treatment in a boat.

In many cases the salmon lice just fall off and do not die, so that the salmon lice may reproduce or flow with the currents in the surface over to a neighboring fish cage and infect this with the salmon lice. In this way the problem will escalate, and as a result a higher and higher number of salmon lice are in the environment and on the fish in the fish cages.

Mechanical barrier solutions preventing the sea lice from contacting the farmed fish have been developed. The principal of these solutions is arrangements enclosing the fish cage with a tarpaulin or fine-meshed fluid-permeable net keeping the salmon lice outside the cage. The disadvantages with such solutions are fouling and maintenance with respect to cleaning and mending of damages to the tarpaulin/ finemeshed net.

Prior art

NO300401 B1 relates to a positioning device for tools used in enclosures for fish, such as camera, detectors, measuring equipment, equipment that are used for transfer of fish and cleaning tools. The tool hang in one or more ropes that run via guides at the upper circumference of the fish cage and is positioned in the fish cage by means of cooperating winches.

WO2019168406 relates to a device for operation and maintenance of a sea pen, comprises a floating substantially cylindrically shaped housing with deck and hand rail. A cleaning device is arranged movable horizontally and vertically hanging from a crane beam through a winch house and with a pump and filter, arranged to clean the wall of the net cage. A water pump is mounted in lower end of an extension pipe, upper end of which exhibiting an outlet nozzle to fetch fresh water from the deep and if needed create water currents in the sea pen. A feeding device comprises a feeding pipe with an outlet and distributing device. The cleaning device also serves as a filter during daily operation to filter out lice from the sea.

WO2009136797 A1 concerns a trawl for harvesting Calanus or other organisms in a body of water. The trawl comprises an outer net and an inner net located inside it, where the inner net is divided into a number of sections. Each section has its own attachment point to the outer net, whereby the towing forces are distributed over the different attachment points, with the result that each of the sections absorbs a load. In addition to better distribution of the towing forces, the independence of the different sections will facilitate repairs and/or replacements of the inner net, reduce problems resulting from different lengths between the outer and inner nets during towing of the trawl, simplify inclusion of selection devices and offer better possibilities for use of differentiated aperture, strand thickness and different materials in the inner net.

WO 2010/015852 A1 relates to a flexible track, where the flexible track is mounted to a fish cage. A vehicle is mounted to the track and comprises traction means to move the vehicle along track. Fish cage comprises a handrail mounted on uprights to a walkway. The walkway is arranged to float on a body of water such as a lake or sea. A net is suspended below walkway to contain fish being farmed.

WO 2012/030226 A1 relates to a device for holding and positioning equipment at fish cage having mainly circular, horizontal cross-section comprising at least one buoyant ring and a seine attached directly or indirectly to the buoyant ring. The device comprises a crossbar arranged diametrically across the fish cage, the crossbar comprising at each end a support structure equipped with wheels running on a rail arranged to the buoyant ring of the fish cage. The crossbar is arranged to be rotated over the fish cage by simultaneously moving the support structures along the rail, the crossbar being provided with an automatically adjustable bearing arm to compensate for deviations from prefect circularly shape of the fish cage when the crossbar is rotated.

There is thus a need for alternatives to today's methods for treatment and prevention of the salmon lice problem, or at least supplementary solutions for such methods.

An object according to the present invention is to remedy at least one of the abovementioned disadvantages or problems.

Another object according to the present invention is to provide a simpler and more effective method for prevention of spread of salmon lice in a fish cage.

These objects are achieved according to the present invention with a continuous propulsion system for propulsion of equipment used in relation to fish cages as defined in the independent claim 1. Further embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

The present invention relates to a continuous propulsion system for equipment used in a fish cage, where the continuous propulsion system comprises a cableway of ropeway comprising a plurality of connecting points with the fish cage, where the cableway or ropeway extends rectilinearly between each of two adjacent connecting points, where at least one drive unit is connected to the propulsion system.

The equipment used in the fish cage may, for instance, be a trawl or filtering system, one or more cameras, one or more sensors, one or more brushes etc.

A continuous propulsion system, as used herein, should be understood to comprise a cableway or ropeway where the cable or ropeway is guided through a number of driving wheels and a driving wheel fastened to brackets connected to posts of the fish cage, and where the ends of the cable or ropeway thereafter are connected together to provide a continuous or endless (i.e. a closed) cableway or ropeway within the fish cage.

The continuous propulsion system for equipment used in a fish cage may, for instance, be used to draw or pull a trawl or a filtering system around the fish cage, in order to collect marine organisms such as animal plankton, salmon lice and other parasites within the fish cage. However, it should be understood the continuous propulsion system may also be a “tool” that enables the locality to carry out different activities in the fish cage. The different activities may, for instance, be used for fish out of cleaner fish (prior to slaughter or delousing operations), cleaning of the net of the fish cage, sensory systems etc. The continuous propulsion system is flexible for a number of geometric designs, depending on the configurations and number of running wheels.

In one embodiment the drive unit may comprise at least one motor and a driving wheel for the cableway or ropeway.

The drive unit may also comprise a gearing arrangement.

According to one aspect, the at least one motor may be an electric motor, a hydraulic motor, or the like.

However, it could also be envisaged that the at least one drive unit may, for instance, comprise two motors, where the two motors may both be electric motors, both hydraulic motors or one electric and one hydraulic motor.

In one embodiment the propulsion system may further comprise a number of guiding pulleys or guiding rollers, one or more running wheels, etc. for the cableway or ropeway.

According to one embodiment each connecting point with the fish cage may comprise a one or more running wheels, where each running wheel may in appropriate ways be fastened to a bracket connected to a post of the fish cage.

Similarly, each guiding wheel or guiding roller may in appropriate ways be fastened to a bracket connected to a post of the fish cage.

The bracket may also comprise an angle adjustment mechanism, such that an angle the running wheel form with a horizontal plane could be adjusted if, for instance, the post of the fish cage to which the bracket is connected to, is inclined due to waves, icing in bird net or the like.

Such an angle adjustment mechanism will therefore always provide a correct setting of the running wheel relative to the cable or rope of the cableway or ropeway.

The angle adjustment mechanism may, for instance, allow for an adjustment of the running wheel of between 1 to 10 degrees.

Furthermore, according to one aspect, at least one cable winch may be connected to the cableway or ropeway, where the at least one cable winch may be used to lower and raise, for instance, a camera, a sensor or the like in the fish cage. The camera(s), sensor(s) or the like may, in appropriate ways, be controlled along a path of the cableway or ropeway and may further be lowered or raised to different depths within the fish cage, in order to collect data at a specific point, spot or area/volume within the fish cage. Data from the camera, sensor or the like may thereafter be transferred to a control unit. The above arrangement of at least one cable winch may provide a possibility to collect different data anywhere within the fish cage, in dependence of the configuration of the cableway or ropeway.

According to one embodiment the propulsion system may also comprises one or more tightening devices for the cableway or ropeway, such that the cable or rope of the cableway or ropeway might be tightened according to preferred specifications. According to one aspect the tightening device may comprise a sleeve and a locking clamp.

The cable or rope of the cableway or ropeway may then be provided with a certain length of a bungee cord or the like on both sides of the sleeve, where the bungee cord will dampen unwanted movement of the rope.

Brief description of the figures

Other advantages and features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings and the following claims, where

Figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a propulsion system for equipment used in a fish cage according to the present invention,

Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the propulsion system for equipment according to figure 1,

Figure 3 shows yet an alternative embodiment of the propulsion system for equipment according to figure 1,

Figure 4 shows how the propulsion system for equipment may be used to propel a trawl or filtering device within the fish cage, seen in a side view,

Figure 5 shows how the propulsion system for equipment may be used to collect different data within the fish cage, seen in a side view,

Figure 6 shows further details for the propulsion system for equipment according to the present invention, seen in a side view,

Figure 7 shows the propulsion system for equipment according to figure 6 from above, where it is shown how a cable or rope of a cable of the propulsion system is guided through a driving wheel, guiding wheels etc.,

Figure 8 shows details of a connection point of the continuous propulsion, and

Figure 9 shows a tightening arrangement for the propulsion system according to the present invention.

Detailed description of the invention

Figure 1 shows a first exemplary embodiment of a continuous propulsion system S for different equipment and/or tools used in a fish cage F according to the present invention, where the continuous propulsion system S is arranged within the fish cage F and mounted to a handrail 1 provided around a circumference of the fish cage F.

The continuous propulsion system S comprises a flexible cableway 3 or ropeway, where the cableway 3 or ropeway is arranged in such a way that the cableway 3 or ropeway covers a largest possible area within the fish cage F. In this embodiment the continuous propulsion system S is a six-point system, whereby five running wheels 4 are fastened to brackets 11 connected to posts 12 of the fish cage F. Each running wheel 4 is then, in appropriate ways, connected to a dedicated bracket 11.

Furthermore, the continuous propulsion system S comprises also a driving wheel 2, where the driving wheel 2 is used to propel the flexible cableway 3 or ropeway. The driving wheel 2 is, in similar ways as the running wheels 4, fastened to a dedicated bracket 11 connected to a post 12 of the fish cage F.

The cable or rope that is used in the cableway 3 or ropeway is then guided through or around each running wheel 4 and the driving wheel 2, whereafter ends of the cable or rope of the cableway 3 or ropeway are connected together in order to provide a continuous cableway 3 or ropeway within the fish cage F.

The propulsion system S according to the present invention is designed so as to be able to take into account existing and/or permanent equipment arranged in the fish cage F, for example a hose 17 or pipe for fish feed, such that the propulsion system S for equipment does not interfere with this existing and/or permanent equipment.

As may be seen, the cableway 3 or ropeway comprises also an attachment point 5 for different equipment that may be used in the fish cage F, for instance a trawl or filtering system, one or more cameras, one or more sensors or the like, where the trawl or filtering system may be used to collect salmon lice and/or cleaner fish within the fish cage F, while the camera, one or more sensors or the like may be used to collect different data from the fish cage F. Collected data may thereafter be transferred to a control unit (not shown) in order to be processed further.

It should be understood that the cableway 3 or ropeway may comprise more than one attachment point 5.

As may be seen from figures 6 and 7, the continuous propulsion system S comprises further a drive unit 10, where the drive unit 10 will be used for propulsion of the propulsion system S.

In this exemplary embodiment, the drive unit 10 comprises a motor and a gearing arrangement. The motor may be an electric motor or a hydraulic motor.

However, it should be understood that the drive unit 10 may comprises more than one motor, where the motors may be only electric motors, only hydraulic motors or even a combination of electric and hydraulic motors.

Figure 2 shows an alternative embodiment of the continuous propulsion system S for equipment used in a fish cage F according to figure 1, where the cableway 3 or ropeway may be arranged in order to take into consideration how a pipe 17 or hose for fish feed and a feeding spreader are arranged in the fish cage F, without interfering with these.

In this embodiment the continuous propulsion system S comprises a five-point (sixpoint) system, and the cableway 3 or ropeway is once again arranged in such a way that the cableway 3 or ropeway covers a largest possible area within the fish cage F.

The continuous propulsion system S comprises five running wheels 4, where three running wheels 4 are fastened to a dedicated bracket connected to a post of the fish cage F, while the two remaining running wheels 4 are fastened to a common bracket connected to a post of the fish cage F. These two running wheels 4 are arranged at a distance from each other on the bracket, such that a first of the two running wheels 4 is located ahead or in front of a second running wheel 4.

A driving wheel 2, where the driving wheel 2 is used to propel the flexible cableway 3 or ropeway is in similar ways as the running wheels 4, fastened to a separate and dedicated bracket connected to a post of the fish cage F.

Furthermore, the cableway 3 or ropeway comprises an attachment point 5 for different equipment that may be used in the fish cage F, for instance a trawl or filtering system, one or more cameras, one or more sensors or the like, where the trawl or filtering system may be used to collect salmon lice and/or cleaner fish within the fish cage F, while the camera, one or more sensors or the like may be used to collect different data from the fish cage F. Collected data may thereafter be transferred to a control unit (not shown) in order to be processed further.

It should be understood that the cableway 3 or ropeway may comprise more than one attachment point 5.

Figure 3 shows yet an alternative embodiment of the continuous propulsion system S for equipment used in a fish cage F according to figure 1, where the cableway 3 or ropeway is once again arranged in such a way that the cableway 3 or ropeway covers a largest possible area within the fish cage F.

In this embodiment the continuous propulsion system S comprises a four-point system, the cableway 3 or ropeway being arranged in such a way that the cableway 3 or ropeway covers a largest possible area within the fish cage F.

The continuous propulsion system S comprises three running wheels 4, each running wheel 4 being fastened to a dedicated bracket connected to a post of the fish cage F, while a driving wheel 2 being fastened to a separate and dedicated bracket connected to a post of the fish cage F.

The cableway 3 or ropeway comprises also an attachment point 5 for different equipment that may be used in the fish cage F, for instance a trawl or filtering system, a camera one or more sensors or the like, where the trawl or filtering system may be used to collect salmon lice and/or cleaner fish within the fish cage F, while the camera, one or more sensors or the like may be used to collect different data from the fish cage F. Collected data may thereafter be transferred to a control unit (not shown) in order to be processed further.

It should be understood that the cableway 3 or ropeway may comprise more than one attachment point 5.

Figure 4 shows that the continuous propulsion system S for equipment may be used to pull a trawl 24 or a filtering system within and around the fish cage F for collecting and destructing of marine organisms such as animal plankton, salmon lice and other parasites.

Furthermore, the trawl 24 or filtering system may also be used for fish out of cleaner fish being in the fish cage F prior to slaughter of the fish. However, it could also be envisaged that the trawl 24 or filtering system may be used during cleaning operations of the net or seine of the fish cage F or the like.

The continuous propulsion system for different equipment may also comprise a number of running wheels, for instance 8-16 running wheels),in order to be able to get as close as possible to the net or seine of the fish cage F, as parasites and other foreign elements seem to accumulate in areas like these.

The filtering system will then have an approximately circular movement in the fish cage F. For other operations, such as cleaning of the net or seine and fish out of cleaner fish, such configuration may also be preferable.

The trawl 24 or filtering system comprises a trawl frame supporting a fine meshed trawl bag having a mesh width from 100 µm to 1000µm, preferably 150 µm to 500 µm. The trawl bag is evenly tapered along a length of the trawl device and is ending in a removable collecting bag.

The collecting bag comprises of a fine meshed fabric similar to or the same as the material of the trawl bag and is connected to the trawl bag through a release mechanism.

The trawl frame may have a square form, a rectangular form or a polygonal form.

The size of the trawl device and frame is adapted for a fish farming cage having a diameter in the range of 120-160 meters. It is obvious that the size of the trawl device and frame may be adapted to any fish cage size without diverting from the present invention.

Figure 5 shows how an attachment point 5 (only one attachment point 5 is shown, but it should be understood that the cableway 3 or ropeway could comprise more than one attachment point 5) in form of a cable winch is connected to the cableway 3 or ropeway of the continuous propulsion system S, where the cable winch may be used to lower and/or rise the trawl 24 or filtering device, a camera, a sensor or the like in the fish cage. Images and or data collected from the camera, sensor or the like may thereafter be transferred to a control unit (not shown) which will process the images, data etc. in order to be able to set, for instance, a spreading pattern and dose the amount of fish feed to the fish cage.

The cable winch may be battery-operated or may be wireless.

Through the use of the cable winch and the cable or rope, the equipment that is connected or attached to the attachment point 5, may be lowered or raised to a desired depth in the fish cage F in order to collect images, data etc. at a specific pot, spot or area/volume within the fish cage F.

Figure 6 shows how a driving wheel 2 is fixed or fastened to a bracket 11 connected to a cage post 12 of the fish cage F, where the bracket 12 in this embodiment comprises an angle adjustment device for the driving wheel 2. The cage post 12 and the bracket 11 are in appropriate ways connected to the handrail 1 extending around a circumference of the fish cage F.

The driving wheel 2 is connected to a drive unit 10, where the drive unit 10 is used for propulsion of the propulsion system S.

In this exemplary embodiment, the drive unit 10 comprises a motor and a gearing arrangement. The motor may be an electric motor or a hydraulic motor.

Although not shown, it should be understood that the drive unit 10 could comprise more than one motor, where the motors may be only electric motors, only hydraulic motors or even a combination of electric and hydraulic motors.

Through the angle adjustment device, the angle the driving wheel 2 forms with a horizontal plane may be adjusted. Such an adjustment of the angle may be performed when the cage post 12, to which the bracket 11 is connected to, is inclined. Such an inclination of the cage post 12 may occur when the fish cage F is subjected to waves, strong current, wind etc., or when a bird net (not shown) is arranged over the fish cage F and the bird net is covered with ice.

Through use of the angle adjustment device it is guaranteed that the driving wheel 2 always is adjusted correctly relative the cable or rope of the cableway 3 or ropeway.

In one embodiment the angle adjustment device will allow the driving wheel 2 to be adjusted up to 5 degrees. However, it should be understood that the angle adjustment device also could be made to allow adjustment for larger angles, for instance up to 15 degrees.

Figure 7 shows, from above, the driving wheel 2 and the drive unit 10, where it also can be seen that two guiding pulleys 13 og guiding rollers are connected to the bracket 11, where each guiding pulley 13 or guiding roller is connected to the bracket 11 through an arm 15, where the arm 15 also comprises a bracket 14 for a rubber band. The guiding pulleys 13 or guiding rollers are arranged in such a way that they will be able to guide the cable or rope of the cableway 3 or ropeway correctly relative the driving wheel 2.

The guiding pulleys 13 or guiding rollers will ensure that the cableway 3 or ropeway does not jump off the running wheels 4 and that wheel spin on the driving wheel 2 is mitigated (together with a suspension arm 25) and will remove slack on the cableway 3 or ropeway and to keep the cableway 3 or ropeway in constant tension regardless of movement of the floating collar 6 of the fish cage F and the filtering system). The arm 15 is fixedly connected to the bracket 11, while the suspension arm 25 is pivotally connected to the bracket 11.

This ensures that the cableway does not jump off the impellers and that slip on the drive wheels is mitigated (together with the suspension arm to remove slack on the cableway and keep the cableway in constant tension regardless of movement of the floating collar and filter system).

Figure 8 shows how the cableway 3 or ropeway according to the present invention may be designed in order to take into consideration how a pipe 17 or hose for feeding of fish feed and a feeding spreader are arranged in the fish cage 1, without interfering with these elements.

Figure 9 shows a tightening device for the propulsion system S according to the present invention, where the tightening device will allow a tightening of the cable or rope of the cableway 3 or ropeway.

The tightening device comprise a sheave housing 19 through which one end of the cable or rope of the cableway 3 or ropeway is guided through. The sheave housing 19 is furthermore connected to a swivel 18, to which swivel an opposite end of the cable or rope of the cableway 3 or ropeway is connected to.

A locking clamp 21 is connected to the cable or rope of the cableway 3 or ropeway on a side of the cableway 3 that is used to connect the trawl 24 or filtering system to the cableway 3 or ropeway. Through the above arrangement of the sheave housing 19 and the locking clamp 21, the cable or rope will be allowed to move through the sheave housing 19, but the movement will stop when the locking clamp 21 is brought into contact with the sheave housing 19.

Furthermore, the cable or rope is also provided with a certain length of a bungee cord 20 on both sides of the sheave housing 19, where the bungee cord 20 will dampen unwanted movement of the cable or rope.

A quick connection 22 fastened to the bungee cord 20 is used to connect the cableway 3 or ropeway to a rope 23 of the trawl 24 or filtering system.

The invention has now been explained with several non-limiting examples. One skilled in the art will appreciate that a variety of variations and modifications may be made to the continuous propulsion system for propulsion of equipment used in relation to fish cages as described within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (11)

1. A continuous propulsion system (S) for equipment used in a fish cage (F), where the continuous propulsion system (S) comprises a cableway (3) or ropeway comprising a plurality of connecting points with the fish cage (1), wherein the cableway (3) or ropeway extends rectilinearly between each of two adjacent connecting points, at least one drive unit (10) being connected to the propulsion system (S).

2. The continuous propulsion system (S) according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive unit (10) comprises at least one motor and a driving wheel (2).

3. The continuous propulsion system (S) according to claim 2, characterized in that the drive unit (10) further comprises a gearing arrangement.

4. The continuous propulsion system (S) according to claim 2, characterized in that the at least one motor is an electric motor or a hydraulic motor.

5. The continuous propulsion system (S) according to claim 1, characterized in that the propulsion system (S) further comprises a number of guiding pulleys (13) or guiding rollers for the cableway (3) or ropeway.

6. The continuous propulsion system (S) according to claim 1, characterized in that the propulsion system (S) further comprises a suspension arm (25) pivotally connected to a bracket 11.

7. The continuous propulsion system (S) according to claim 1, characterized in that each connecting point comprises a running wheel (4) fastened to a bracket (11) connected to a post (12) of the fish cage (F).

8. The continuous propulsion system (S) according to claim 6, characterized in that each bracket comprises an angle adjustment mechanism, allowing the running wheel (3) to form or set an angle with a horizontal plane.

9. The continuous propulsion system (S) according to claim 1, characterized in that the propulsion system (S) further comprises at least one cable winch connected to the cableway (2) or ropeway.

10. The continuous propulsion system (S) according to claim 1, characterized in that the propulsion system (S) further comprises a tightening device.

11. The continuous propulsion system (S) according to claim 9, characterized in that the tightening device comprises a sleeve and a locking clamp.