RU132310U1 - PONTONIC DEVICE FOR HYDROPONIC GROWING OF ALGAE IN AN OUTDOOR WATER - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Device for hydroponic growing of algae in an open reservoir, containing a pontoon with a vegetation container and a sealed float system in the form of a hollow tubular float box made with the possibility of supplying water and compressed air to it, and hydraulically connected to the technological volume of the container, characterized in that the float box is placed around the perimeter of the vegetation container, a tubular chamber is additionally mounted above the box along its entire length and its internal cavity is divided across partitions into two compartments of unequal volume, one of which is made with a nozzle for filling the compartment with compressed air, and the other with a fitting for refueling the compartment with carbon dioxide, the compartment of the tubular chamber for compressed air through a pipeline connected to the bottom of the float box, and the compartment for carbon dioxide - with a vegetation container below the level of its technological volume, the container is made of elastic material with sides bent upwards along the perimeter and a removable filter mesh is placed inside it, When the container is provided with at least one device for stirring fluid in its technological obeme.2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the filter mesh is made with cells having a size of 0.1-100.0 μm when growing microalgae. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is equipped with a frame with a protective tent mounted above the container and around its perimeter. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for mixing the liquid is made according to the scheme of the float rocker mechanism, two-loop

Description

The utility model relates to pontoon devices for hydroponic cultivation of plants in an open reservoir on the so-called "floating bed".

A pontoon device for hydroponic growing of plants is known, including floats in the form of sealed hollow pipes supporting the frame and vegetation vessels installed on it having a perforated bottom and mounted on the water of a stocked reservoir (SU 969208, 10.30.1982). Between the bottom of the vegetation vessels and the water surface there is an air gap. Plants are planted on a substrate. As the plants grow, their root system penetrates into the reservoir through the perforated bottom of the vessels.

The closest to the utility model in terms of technical nature and the achieved result is a pontoon device for hydroponic growing of plants in an open reservoir, containing a vegetation container and a sealed float system in the form of a hollow tubular float box with means for supplying water and compressed air to it and hydraulically connected to the process volume container (RU 2290784 C1, 05.26.2005).

The vegetation container is made with a mesh bottom and is filled with a substrate on which the seeds of cultivated plants are sown. The "floating bed" is installed in fish-breeding ponds and thereby the joint cultivation of fish and plants in a pond is carried out.

The float box, which keeps the bed afloat, has upper and lower openings. A hose is connected to the upper opening of the box for supplying air to the tank from a pump or compressor and a valve blocking its outlet, and the lower hole serves to freely fill the tank with water in order to control the lifting force of the floats and saturate the substrate in the container with water of the reservoir. By regulating the lifting force of the float boxes mounted under the container, the bed is installed above the reservoir mirror so that the water rises through the capillaries of the granules of the substrate to its surface without filling the cavity between the granules.

Root plants sprout through the perforation of the bottom and sink into the water, from where nutrients are taken. The increase in plant production is due to the use by plants of mineral substances as a result of the development of microorganisms in the substrate of a floating bed of minerals that mineralize metabolites and metabolic products of fish.

A disadvantage of the known devices is the inconvenience of operation associated with the need to simultaneously grow plants and fish in a reservoir, as well as the dependence of green mass production on the biological state of the fish herd.

In addition, the implementation of the bottom with perforation in known devices does not allow you to create in the vegetation vessels isolated with controlled parameters of the medium, independent of the state of the environment of the reservoir.

The objective of the utility model is to create a pontoon device for hydroponic algae cultivation in an open reservoir with increased productivity in terms of cultivated mass, the ability to regulate the chemical composition of the medium in a vegetation container and a simple constructive solution for unloading the grown algae delivered to the place of their processing.

The problem is solved in that in a pontoon device for hydroponic algae cultivation in an open reservoir containing a vegetation container and a sealed float system in the form of a hollow tubular float box configured to supply water and compressed air to it, and hydraulically connected to the technological volume of the container, according to the utility model, the float box is placed around the perimeter of the vegetation container, a tubular chamber is additionally mounted over the box along its entire length and its internal cavity is divided by transverse partitions into two compartments, one of which is made with a nozzle for refueling with compressed air, and the other with a nozzle for refueling the compartment with carbon dioxide, and the compartment of the tubular chamber for compressed air is connected via a pipeline to the bottom of the float box, and carbon dioxide compartment - with a vegetation container below the level of its technological volume, the container is made of elastic material with sides bent upwards along the perimeter and a removable filter is placed inside it a friction net, wherein the container is equipped with at least one device for mixing the liquid in its process volume.

In an embodiment of the utility model, the filter mesh is made with cells having a size of 0.1-100.0 microns.

To protect the technological volume of the container from splashes from the water surface, a frame with a protective tent is fixed around the perimeter of the float box.

In another embodiment of the utility model, the device for periodic vertical oscillation of the bottom of the container is made according to the scheme of the float yoke mechanism, the two-arm lever of which is mounted with the possibility of swinging around a fixed axis on a stand mounted on the float box, and the arm shoulders are pivotally connected respectively to the bottom of the container and the float of the beam mechanism located on the surface of the reservoir.

A variant of the utility model is possible in which the mixing device is made in the form of a vibrating paddle mixer with an inertial load connected by springs to the frame of the container.

The utility model is illustrated by drawings, in which Fig. 1 schematically shows a device in longitudinal section with a float rocker mechanism and with a vibrating paddle mixer, Fig. 2 is a top view of a device with a float rocker mechanism (the frame and tent are not shown conditionally in the drawing).

The pontoon device comprises a vegetation container 1, an airtight float system made in the form of a hollow tubular float box 2 having a pipe 3 and a filling pipe 4 for fresh water. The box 2 is placed around the perimeter of the vegetation container 1 and a tubular chamber 5 is mounted above it. The internal cavity of the chamber 5 is divided by transverse partitions 6 into two uneven sections 7 and 8. The larger compartment 7 is made with a nozzle 9 for filling with compressed air, and the smaller compartment 8 - with fitting 10 for refueling the compartment with carbon dioxide.

Compartment 7 for compressed air through a pipe 11 and valve 12 is connected to the float box 2, and compartment 8 through a pipe 13 with a shut-off valve 14 is connected to a vegetation container.

The vegetation container 1 is made with a flat bottom 15 of elastic material, the sides 16 of the container are bent up. For periodic vertical vibrations of the bottom 15, contributing to the mixing of the nutrient fluid, it can be equipped with a device made according to the scheme of the float rocker mechanism. The two-arm lever 17 of the mechanism is mounted with the possibility of swinging around the fixed axis 18 on the stand 19, mounted on the float box 2, and the shoulders of the lever 17 by means of hinges 20 and 21 are connected respectively to the float 22 of the rocker mechanism located on the surface of the reservoir, and with the bottom 15 of the container.

Inside the container, over the entire area of the bottom and the height of its sides 6, a removable filter mesh 23 is attached to the sides with a mesh size of 0.1-100.0 microns, selected depending on the type of cultivated algae. A frame 24 is mounted on the outer contour of the sides, on which a protective awning 25 is fixed.

In the float device for mixing the nutrient liquid in the technological volume of the container, a vibratory paddle mixer 26 with an inertial load 27 connected via springs 28 to the frame 24 of the container can also be installed. The blades of the mixer 26 are located at a distance of 10-15 cm from the bottom 15.

For mixing the liquid in the process volume, both described devices can be used.

The internal volume of the growing box is connected by a pipe 29 to the bottom of the box 2.

For the operation of the pontoon device, it is installed on the surface of a reservoir in the coastal zone of the marine area located in the tropical climate zone. Then the technological volume of the container is filled with nutrient liquid - a mixture of sea and fresh water, into which the culture of cultivated algae is placed in an amount of from 0.001 to 0.02 g of microalgae per liter of liquid. The total mass of loaded algae depends on their type. The device’s productivity in terms of green mass of algae can be controlled by fertilizing the nutrient fluid.

The depth of the liquid layer 20-40 cm provides sufficient lighting for the growth of algae in the entire volume of the device. The height of the nutrient liquid level depends on the type of algae grown, but with a layer depth of more than 40 cm, the illumination in the lower layers of the liquid is already insufficient for the intensive growth of algae.

Intensive growth of algae occurs at a certain concentration of salt in the liquid. Taking the salt concentration in the open sea as 100%, it can be determined that the intensive growth of algae occurs at a concentration of 70 to 110% of the initial one, and these values can vary depending on the type of microalgae culture grown. Since it is planned to grow algae in a tropical climate, under which intensive evaporation of water from the surface of an open vegetation container occurs, reaching 10% per day from the filled liquid, it is advisable to use a mixture of sea and fresh water at an acceptable low salt concentration when filling the nutrient liquid into the device. Due to the evaporation of water in the nutrient liquid, an increase in salt concentration occurs and the latter is reduced by adding fresh water to the technological volume of the container from the float box previously filled with fresh water. 2. Fresh water is pumped through pipeline 29 by supplying compressed air to the box from compartment 7 of the tubular chamber 3, opening the valve 12 of the pipe 11 and creating the necessary pressure in the cavity of the box 2. To maintain the level of salt concentration in the container, based on the length of the growing cycle 6- 10 days, the volume of fresh water in the box 2 should be 20-30% of the volume of nutrient fluid, with the initial loading of the device.

Algae growth occurs at a certain acidity of the water. When algae multiplies, they consume carbon dioxide from water and the pH value Ph decreases. To maintain this indicator at the required level, the nutrient liquid Ph is monitored in the technological volume of the container and, if necessary, carbon dioxide is supplied through the pipe 13 to the container below the level of the nutrient liquid, opening the shutoff valve 14. An additional supply of carbon dioxide ensures the maintenance of Ph water at a given level.

To achieve the biological maturity of the algae and to obtain the maximum possible concentration for the given algae in the entire volume of nutrient fluid, the pontoon device is transported to the container discharge site on the coast. When unloading the green mass from the container, the filter mesh 23 is freed from fastening on the sides of the container and, together with algae and water, is removed from the container. When growing microalgae, the biomaterial must be extracted with as much water as possible. When growing algae of different types, the mesh cell size is selected depending on the characteristics of the plant in the range of 0.1-100.0 microns, so that microalgae having sizes from 5 to 200 microns do not pass through the mesh cells. Part of the nutrient fluid is poured through the filter screen, and the biomass, together with the remaining nutrient fluid, is discharged into the receiving hopper and then the resulting mass is fed for processing to the production departments. Due to the fact that the mesh is removed along with the algae, and then returned to the container, there is no need for returnable packaging, which reduces the cost of production.

The nutrient fluid separated from the green mass is sent to a filtration station, and the filtrate is then used to prepare the nutrient fluid.

The uniform distribution of microalgae in the volume of the device is ensured by constant mixing of the liquid through the use of devices for periodic vertical oscillations of the bottom of the container. Since when the sea is rough, the amplitude and frequency of oscillations of the float 22 and the container 1 filled with the nutrient fluid will be different, the beam 17 through the hinge 21 will constantly raise and lower the bottom of the container, providing constant mixing of the nutrient fluid.

To intensify the mixing of the liquid, together with the float device or independently, a mixing device with a vibrating paddle mixer is also used. The inertial load 27 is suspended on an elastic suspension - springs 28 mounted on the frame 24. When swinging on the waves, the pontoon device performs vertical reciprocating movements and the blades 26 located in the vegetation fluid mix its technological volume.

The developed device for growing various crops of algae in a container floating in the marine area allows us to limit ourselves to the minimum production areas necessary only for processing green mass delivered to land, which significantly reduces costs compared to growing them in specially constructed artificial reservoirs.

Isolation of the container’s growing volume from the water of the reservoir allows you to choose the most optimal nutrient medium for the most intensive increase in the mass of algae, depending on the biological characteristics of microalgae.

The design features of the pontoon device when used in marine waters make it possible to significantly increase the working surface of the vegetation container, which increases the productivity of the device by the green mass of the grown algae.

Claims (5)

1. Device for hydroponic growing of algae in an open reservoir, containing a pontoon with a vegetation container and a sealed float system in the form of a hollow tubular float box made with the possibility of supplying water and compressed air to it, and hydraulically connected to the technological volume of the container, characterized in that the float box is placed around the perimeter of the vegetation container, a tubular chamber is additionally mounted above the box along its entire length and its internal cavity is divided across partitions into two compartments of unequal volume, one of which is made with a nozzle for filling the compartment with compressed air, and the other with a fitting for refueling the compartment with carbon dioxide, the compartment of the tubular chamber for compressed air through a pipeline connected to the bottom of the float box, and the compartment for carbon dioxide - with a vegetation container below the level of its technological volume, the container is made of elastic material with sides bent upwards along the perimeter and a removable filter mesh is placed inside it, When the container is provided with at least one device for stirring fluid in its technological scope. 2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the filter mesh is made with cells having a size of 0.1-100.0 microns when growing microalgae. 3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is equipped with a frame with a protective awning mounted above the container and around its perimeter. 4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for mixing the liquid is made according to the scheme of the float yoke mechanism, the two-arm lever of which is mounted with the possibility of swinging around a fixed axis on a rack mounted on the float box, and the arm of the lever are pivotally connected respectively to the bottom of the container and a rocker mechanism float located on the surface of the reservoir. 5. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the device for mixing the liquid is made in the form of a vibrating paddle mixer with an inertial load connected by means of springs to the frame of the container.

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