WO2000010381A1

WO2000010381A1 - Silo platform for fish farming

Info

Publication number: WO2000010381A1
Application number: PCT/NO1999/000265
Authority: WO
Inventors: Knut Vangen
Original assignee: Knut Vangen
Priority date: 1998-08-25
Filing date: 1999-08-23
Publication date: 2000-03-02
Also published as: GB0102617D0; NO983908D0; CA2340743A1; NO983908L; CA2340743C; NO308571B1; GB2362357A

Abstract

Catamaran Silo Platform (10) for use in floating position by fish farming, having an anchored primary float (12) which is connected to at least one secondary float (14), being divided in several individual chambers or silos (22) as well as for storing fish feed as for other intended purposes.

Description

SILO PLATFORM FOR FISH FARMING

The present invention relates to a means, called a "Catamaran Silo Platform", to be used in fish farming installations.

There is already known a single cage installation having a platform and a feed silo, from Rabben Mek. Verksted A/S, and a multicage installation having a platform without silo from Bømlo Construction A/S. The platform installations that are not of the catamaran type have a common handicap, as the weight of the stored fish feed is causing an imbalanced load of the installation, depending upon the amount of feed. Further the marine currents and waves will provoke movements leading to tensile stresses in the installation, whereby the fish farming environment is deteriorated. Moving the installation to new sites is also cumbersome.

From the above will appear that there is a need for a silo platform installation of a type where the drawbacks mentioned above are eliminated or relieved. This is achieved by introducing the unique Catamaran Silo Platform according to the invention, for fish farming. The platform, creating one of four sides in the fish farming enclosure, is preferably constructed from profiled steel plates, and is generally characterised by an underlying floating construction of a catamaran type with a primary float and at least one secondary float being placed at a suitable distance from and parallel to the primary float, the longitudinal float axis coinciding with the direction of the current. Driveway and gangways are interconnecting the floats. The primary float is of a different construction with bigger dimensions than the secondary float and both floats are particularly adapted for its intended purpose. The distance float to float gives room for paired enclosures as for example of dimensions 15x15, 20x20 or 25x25 meter. In the primary float there is arranged a number of inner chambers and silos extending downwards to the float base and where the float sidewalls are forming two of the silo sides and half the silo base. The silo chambers will partly serve for storage of fish feed, partly as observation chamber, living quarter, equipment room, generator room, diesel oil and water tanks as well as central feeding unit.

Because of the important length of the primary float the anchoring points of the mooring hawser will be spaced far away from each other, and this is preventing deformation of the anchoring system as a docking sea vessel can cause this. Because of the silo placement, the weight will provoke an imbalanced load. Each individual silo or chamber that is integrated in the installation itself can have a total load capacity of 100 metric tons or more. Free chambers can be used for other purposes.

The secondary float is of a construction having enough buoyancy for, with the necessary freeboard, to carry the driveway and the gangways, thereby adding the excellent stability in floating position. Because the floats are placed in the sea in such a way that their longitudinal axis coincide with the direction of the current, oxygen rich, environmentally beneficial sea water is all the time flowing through the fish farming installation so that an accumulation of unwanted elements is excluded.

By the silo platform being built in one unit with the fish farming installation, one avoids having to use vehicle bridges between the storage platform and the fish farming installation, this leading to economical, environmental and safety benefits. This Catamaran Silo Platform according to the invention is constructed from profiled steel plates and constructed for application in stormy waters Because of the compact construction that only to a small extent is influenced by currents and wave movements, all work can be executed under great safety. The excellent stability and buoyancy of the installation opens for the use of support rails for stretching out the nets at the bottom, so that these are kept stationary, approximately in vertical position, thus always maintaining the maximal production volume.

The platform installation is of a compact construction that will ease the towing to other sites and simplify feed loading, feed distribution, feeding and so on, in addition to permit the continual control with the operation of the installation.

Reference is made to the enclosed illustrations, where:

Fig. 1 is showing a perspective drawing, as seen from above, of a

Catamaran Silo Platform Installation according to the invention, for fish farming.

Fig. 2 is showing different cuts of the primary float, including silo chambers, of the platform. The Catamaran Silo Platform 10 according to the drawings comprises one primary float 123 and at least one secondary float 14 that in floating position is situated mainly parallel to each other in a fixed distance from each other. Upon the primary float 12 there is arranged a longitudinal corbel quay 16 in level with a driveway 18 and gangways 20 connecting the floats 12 and 14.

The primary float 12 is equipped with several chambers or silos 22, the exact number depending upon the length of the float. Each silo chamber 22 is extending from a superstructure of the quay 16, down to the float base, and is equipped with a roof hatch and a base sluice.

The driveway 18 and the gangways 20 connecting the floats 12 and 14 are carried by the floats with the necessary freeboard at water surface level.

In addition to serving for the storage of fish feed, the silos or chambers 22 are intended for the possible use as observation room, living quarter, equipment room, generator central, diesel oil and water tanks as well as central feeding unit, and can also be utilised for other purposes.

The Catamaran Silo Platform is, as presented, calculated, dimensioned, built and quality controlled according to NS 347.

Claims

Claim

1. Catamaran Silo Platform (10) for use in floating position by fish farming, even in stormy waters, comprising an anchored primary platform (12) and at least one secondary platform, a driveway (18) and gangways (20) connecting the floats to each other in a fixed, intentional distance from each other, and wherein the floats, for the purpose of easing the flow of oxygen rich, environmentally beneficial sea water, is placed in such direction that their longitudinal axis coincide with the direction of current, whereby the installation only to a small extent is influenced by currents and wave movements, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that upon the primary float (12) there is arranged a longitudinal corbel quay (16) in level with a driveway (18) and gangways (20) and that the primary float (12), depending upon its with, is divided in a number of internal chambers or silos (22) for the storage of fish feed and for other intended purposes, wherein each individual silo chamber (22) extends from a superstructure with roof hatch downwards to the float base, and wherein the float side walls are forming two of the chamber sides and half the chamber bottom, and wherein the buoyancy of the secondary float is sufficient to giving the driveways (18) and the gangways (20) the necessary elevation above water level.