Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23K—FODDER
  • A23K50/00—Feeding-stuffs specially adapted for particular animals
  • A23K50/80—Feeding-stuffs specially adapted for particular animals for aquatic animals, e.g. fish, crustaceans or molluscs
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23K—FODDER
  • A23K20/00—Accessory food factors for animal feeding-stuffs
  • A23K20/10—Organic substances
  • A23K20/158—Fatty acids; Fats; Products containing oils or fats
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23K—FODDER
  • A23K40/00—Shaping or working-up of animal feeding-stuffs

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a method for treatment of feed materials of a pellet form, or of clump or sheet formed starting materials of such feed materials, which shall be given to an organism, where a volume of the feed material in a container for supply of necessary supplementary substances to the feed material, is subjected to an under-pressure over a given period of time for venting of gases/air in the pores/void spaces in the feed material, whereupon the container is subjected to a higher pressure than atmospheric pressure, whereby the necessary supplementary materials penetrate the void spaces and pores of the feed material, i.e. such as it is described in the introduction to the subsequent claim 1.
• the invention also relates to an application of the method.
• the applied liquid can comprise fatty substances, oil, fresh water, or salt containing water, which one wishes to add to the feed material.
• the liquid can be water or oils that contain vitamins, medicines, colouring substances, minerals and the like in a dissolved form.
• the method is applied to the manufacture of fish feed, and in a feeding installation as described in the claims 10-12.
• the required supplementary substance (s) is (are) added to the bulk feed material in the form of a liquid, or dissolved in a liquid.
• the liquid material is preferably placed in a container which can be closed while liquid is added to the container/feed material prior to the treatment, such that the under-pressure is subjected to the feed material while this is in the liquid, and in particular that the whole of the container is full of the mixture of feed material and liquid, i.e. there is no air present in the container when the under-pressure/vacuum is applied.
• Feed material to which more fresh water has been added through the invented method results in a great advantage for seawater fish. This leads to the fish not having to «drink» so much seawater. When the fish drinks seawater it has to get rid of an excess of salt ions, something that results in an unnecessary expenditure of energy for the fish. The fish can use this energy on growth instead, and it will consequently make better use of the feed material. This will yield an increased growth per unit amount of feed material . ⁇ • ⁇
• seawater can be added to the feed material, something that is well suited, for example, when salmon s olt shall be prepared for transfer to seawater.
• the smolt will then be gradually exposed to increasing amount/concentration of salt in the water and gradually be adapted to life in seawater.
• the water which shall be forced into the pellet, is supplemented with vitamins, medicines, salts, minerals or other substances that the fish need.
• the supplementary substances When the supplementary substances are dissolved in the water that is conducted to the container, it will be fed into the feed pellet which is subsequently eaten by the fish. In this way, one, will be able to supply to the fish an optimal feed material that will lead to an improved growth and health.
• a level switch 21 From the intermediate tank 22 with water additions, it is possible to return water with supplementary ingredients to the container 25. This is carried out at the next batch which is to be treated. The valve (18) is then opened.
• a main channel 80 to conduct water and feed material to the feeding location is marked with 80 and a tank for supply of feed material which may not be treated, is shown at 25. This tank can be made to release feed into the channel.
• the channel 80 includes valves upstream 13 and downstream 7 of the treatment container 26, and downstream by 8 for the feed tank. Furthermore, there is a throttle valve 14 upstream of the valve 13 which can open for water that shall contribute to lead the feed material to the feeding location. When evacuation is commenced, the volume which is to be evacuated is defined by the container 26 and the part of the channel 80 which is positioned between the valves 7 and 13.
• Valve 7. is arranged to open and close the connection between the container and the feed tank.
• the valve 8 may open and close connection to the feeding pipe that shall transport feed material to the fish.
• the valve 12 is used to open for the supply of the water that shall transport the feed material to the fish.
• the feed tank 26 contributes to regulate the liquid column, and thus the speed at which the feed material is fed through the pipes to the fish.
• the level switches 9, 10 and 11 are used to regulate the level in the feed tank 26 and container 25.
• the system can preferably be equipped with additional equipment which can be used if vitamins, minerals, colouring substances or other supplementary ingredients shall be added to the feed material. These are installed if it is not, desirable that the water with supplementary ingredients, which are not pulled into the feed material, are discharged straight into the sea.
• the container 26 is also, when the hatch/grating 24 is opened, arranged to let treated feed material down into the channel 80 to be brought to the feeding location.
• the feeding installation outlined can be controlled with both manual and automatic control.
• the manual control will consist of either manual or electrically controlled valves.
• the automatic control will be PLC (programmable logic control) , controlled with the possibility for running all operations from a computer (PC) . Electrical and electrically controlled pneumatic valves will be possible. It will also be possible to build in options for logging and storing of data regarding the feeding process. Parameters such as amount of feed material, time of feeding, water temperature, light conditions are parameters which will be of interest.
• An example of this can be a device that registers when the fish finish eating the feed, something which leads to the feeding operation being automatically stopped.
• Valves 15, 18, 19 and level switch 21 are used. Pump 21, intermediate tank with water additions 22 and main tank with water additions 23 are equipment which are only used if water with supplementary ingredients is to be added.
• the pump 16 feeds the water which is not being sucked into the pellet, back to the tank 22. Then it can be added to the next batch with feed material which then is treated with water with supplementary ingredients.
• the feed tank 25 and the container 26 are initially filled with water to a level that is marked on the figure by the level switch 9.
• the valves 2,3,5,7,8,12,13,15 and 1! in addition to the container 26, are closed.
• the lower closing hatch/grating 24 is open and hatch (1) is open. Treatment starts.
• the sequences in the treatment of the feed material can, according to an example, be as follows: Feed material is conducted into the container 26 through the closing hatch 1.
• the valve 2 is opened and water is supplied until the level switch 4 is triggered and closes the water supply.
• the container is now completely full.
• the closing hatch 1 is closed and the valve 3 is opened.
• a connection to the vacuum tank is established and the container is subjected to an under-pressure (vacuum) , and air will then be sucked out of the feed material.
• the air will rise to the surface in the container.
• the valve 5 is opened and is regulated with the throttle valve 6.
• the valve 7 is opened. Due to the adjustable throttling of the air in the throttling valve 6, the feed material will flow from the container to the feed tank 25 at a slow speed.
• the valve 8 is opened and the feed material flows in the pipe to the feeding location.
• the levels in container and feed tank decide the rate of flow of the feed material through the pipe to the feeding location. This can be controlled by the level switches 9 and 10 and the supply of water through the valve 2. Extra water can be supplied through valve 13 and be regulated with the throttle valve.
• valve 8 is closed. Water to conduct the feed material down to the feeding location is fed into the feeding pipe 80 through the valve 12. Valve 2 is opened and water is filled into the container and feed tank until the level switch 9 is triggered and closes the supply. The valve 7 is closed.
• valves 15, 18, 19 are operated and level switch 21, pump 16, intermediate tank with water supplements 22 and main tank with water supplements 23 are installed.
• Feed material is fed into the container 26 whereupon the valve 18 is opened.
• Water from the intermediate tank with water supplements 22 is fed into the container 26 until the level switch 4 is triggered. If the intermediate tank 22 is empty before level switch 4 is triggered, the valve 19 must be opened and water from the main tank 23 will flow in until the level switch 4 is triggered. The valves 18 and 19 can then be closed.
• the hatch 1 is closed and the valve 3 is opened and air will then be sucked out of the feed material. The air will rise to the surface in the container.
• Valve 5 is opened and is regulated open with throttle valve 6.
• the valve 15 is opened and pump 16 is started. When the level switch 21 is triggered, the pump 16 can be stopped and the valve 15 closed. Valve 13 is now opened and the container is filled until the level switch 4 is triggered. Then the hatch/grating is opened.
• the valve 7 is opened. By regulating the throttling of air in the valve 6, the feed material will slowly flow from the container and to the feed tank.
• the valve 8 is opened and the feed material flows through the pipe to the feeding location.
• the levels in the container and the feed tank decide the speed of the feed material through the pipe to the feeding location. This is controlled by the level switches 9 and 10 as well as the supply of water through valve 2. Additional water can be supplied through valve 13 and be regulated with the throttle valve.
• the valve 8 is closed. Water which shall take the feed material down to the feeding location comes in through valve 12.
• the valve 2 is opened and water flows into the container and feed tank to the level switch 9. Thereafter the valve 7 is closed and the hatch/grating 24 is closed.
• water can be added to fish feed in a new and more simple way, with a possible addition of vitamins, minerals, colouring substances or other supplementary ingredients immediately ' before feeding takes place.
• the feed material is weighed into a container.
• the mixture of fish feed and water, with possible additions, are subjected to a vacuum. Air inside the feed will be sucked out of the feed material. The mixture will subsequently be exposed to atmospheric pressure and water with supplementary ingredients will be absorbed into the feed material.
• the colouring substances can be stored under optimal non-degrading conditions (prevent oxidation) , to be added to the feed by the method according to the invention whereby it is given directly to the fish.
• the method according to the invention represents a great step forward in this subject area.

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• Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Polymers & Plastics (AREA)
• Food Science & Technology (AREA)
• Zoology (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Animal Husbandry (AREA)
• Birds (AREA)
• Marine Sciences & Fisheries (AREA)
• Insects & Arthropods (AREA)
• Medicinal Preparation (AREA)
• Processing Of Meat And Fish (AREA)
• Farming Of Fish And Shellfish (AREA)
• Fodder In General (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=19911647

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (6)

Citations (4)

Family Cites Families (3)

• 2000
  • 2000-10-03 NO NO20004973A patent/NO316013B1/no not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2001
  • 2001-10-03 WO PCT/NO2001/000406 patent/WO2002028199A2/en active Application Filing
  • 2001-10-03 AU AU2001294426A patent/AU2001294426A1/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

Non-Patent Citations (2)

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