WATERCRAFT AND METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF AQUATIC ORGANISMS

Abstract

A watercraft for breeding aquatic organisms, including an aquaculture facility and a device for feeding water into the aquaculture facility so that water intended to be fed into the aquaculture facility can escape from a body of water in which the watercraft is floating. A feed opening for receiving the water from the body of water is open in the longitudinal direction of the watercraft and/or is arranged below a water line of the watercraft. The feed opening is arranged on the hull of the watercraft, preferably on the bow. The watercraft includes a device for letting out water from the aquaculture facility to the body of water. An outlet opening of the outlet device is open in the longitudinal direction of the watercraft and/or is arranged below the water line of the watercraft. The outlet opening preferably being arranged on the hull of the watercraft, on the bow thereof.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A watercraft for production of aquatic organisms, comprising: an aquaculture system arranged in the watercraft; and a feed device for feeding water into the aquaculture system, the feed device being configured to take water from a body of water in which the watercraft is floating.

22. The watercraft according to claim 21, wherein the aquaculture system is configured for farming and/or breeding fish.

23. The watercraft according to claim 21, wherein the feed device has a feed opening for receiving the water from the body of water, the feed opening being open in a longitudinal direction of the watercraft and/or being arranged below a waterline of the watercraft.

24. The watercraft according to claim 23, further comprising a hull, wherein the feed opening is arranged in the hull of the watercraft.

25. The watercraft according to claim 24, wherein the feed opening is arranged in a bow of the hull.

26. The watercraft according to claim 24, further comprising an outlet device for discharging water from the aquaculture system into the body of water, wherein the outlet device has an outlet opening open in the longitudinal direction of the watercraft and/or arranged below the waterline of the watercraft.

27. The watercraft according to claim 26, wherein the outlet opening is arranged in the hull of the watercraft.

28. The watercraft according to claim 27, wherein the outlet opening is arranged in a stern of the hull.

29. The watercraft according to claim 23, further comprising a material-separating device arranged at the feed opening.

30. The watercraft according to claim 29, wherein the material-separating device is a filter and/or a rake, and the feed device is operatively configured to clean the filter by backflushing.

31. The watercraft according to claim 21, further comprising a filter device having a plurality of filter parts, wherein, for cleaning, each of the filter parts is removable from the filter device in each case individually and separately from the other filter parts.

32. The watercraft according to claim 31, wherein the filter device has a cylindrical shape so as to be arrangeable in a fitting manner in a pipeline.

33. The watercraft according to claim 31, wherein the filter device is configured so that the filter parts are rotatable between a filtering position in which the filter parts filter the water passing through, and a removal position in which the filter parts are removable from the filter device for cleaning.

34. The watercraft according to claim 26, wherein the feed device and/or the outlet device is configured to selectively closed off with respect to the body of water in order to separate the aquaculture system from the body of water.

35. The watercraft according to claim 21, wherein the aquaculture system includes a device for treating the water that is configured for removing solid materials, for introducing and/or removing gas, and for nitrification and/or for denitrification.

36. The watercraft according to claim 21, wherein the aquaculture system includes at least one pump by which the water is conveyed in a circulating manner within the aquaculture system.

37. The watercraft according to claim 21, wherein the aquaculture system includes a line formed by a pipeline and/or by an open watercourse.

38. The watercraft according to claim 37, wherein the open watercourse is a channel.

39. The watercraft according to claim 21, further comprising a hull, wherein the aquaculture system includes at least one tank in which organisms to be bred are to be kept, and the tank is arranged in the hull so as to be at least sectionally below the waterline of the watercraft.

40. The watercraft according to claim 39, wherein the tank has a lower tank region and an upper tank region arranged above the lower tank region, and an interior space of the tank has a smaller cross-sectional area in the upper tank region than in the lower tank region.

41. The watercraft according to claim 40, wherein the upper tank region has an aeration portion, which is connected in terms of flow to ambient air, arranged above the waterline and a filling portion, which is intended for filling with water, arranged below the waterline.

42. The watercraft according to claim 39, wherein the aquaculture system comprises at least two tanks, which have mutually differently sized volumes for receiving the organisms to be bred, wherein the tanks are connected to one another by a line so that the organisms to be bred can be moved from one of the tanks into another of the tanks.

43. The watercraft according to claim 39, wherein the feed device is configured for setting a volumetric flow rate of water at which the at least one tank is loaded.

44. The watercraft according to claim 43, wherein the aquaculture system includes more than one tank, and the feed device is configured to set volumetric flow rates of different magnitudes for each of the tanks.

45. The watercraft according to claim 21, further comprising a turbomachine configured to generate electrical energy from a flow of water relative to the watercraft as the watercraft moves in the body of water.

46. The watercraft according to claim 45, further comprising a regulating device configured to regulate a travel speed of the watercraft relative to the water of the body of water, to regulate energy absorption by the turbomachine and/or to regulate a throughflow rate of the water through the aquaculture system, wherein a manipulated variable of the regulation is the variable of the energy absorption by the turbomachine.

47. The watercraft according to claim 21, wherein the watercraft is a sailing ship.

48. A method for production of aquatic organisms, comprising the steps of: arranging an aquaculture system in and/or on a watercraft; keeping the aquatic organisms in the aquaculture system; and operating the aquaculture system by moving water into the aquaculture system from a body of water in which the watercraft is floating.

49. The method according to claim 48, including continuously moving water from the body of water into the aquaculture system, and continuously releasing water, together with impurities produced by the organisms, from the aquaculture system into the body of water.

50. The method according to claim 48, wherein the watercraft is a sailing ship, further comprising generating electrical energy by a turbomachine when the watercraft is moving in the body of water by using a flow of the water relative to the watercraft, and regulating a travel speed of the watercraft relative to the water of the body of water, an energy absorption by the turbomachine and/or a throughflow rate of the water through the aquaculture system.

Description

[0064] The invention will be discussed in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments and the appended drawing, the drawings referring to the exemplary embodiments. In the drawings, schematically:

[0065] FIG. 1 shows a watercraft according to the invention,

[0066] FIG. 2 shows the watercraft from FIG. 1 in different sectional views,

[0067] FIGS. 3 to 8 show details of the watercraft from FIG. 1,

[0068] FIG. 9 shows a detail of a further watercraft, and

[0069] FIG. 10 shows a detail of a further watercraft.

[0070] FIG. 1 schematically illustrates, in a side view, a watercraft 1 in which there is arranged an aquaculture system 2 which can be used for breeding of aquatic organisms, in particular of fish, mollusks, crustaceans or algae. Said aquaculture system has four tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 in which the fish to be bred are kept. It goes without saying that the watercraft 1 may also have more than the mere four tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 shown here. As can also be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, pipelines 13, 14, which extend from the bow 5 to the stern 9 of the watercraft 1, are formed below the tanks. In order for entry into the pipelines 13, 14 or therefrom for water from a body of water in which the watercraft 1 is arranged to be possible, openings 4, 8 are formed in the hull of the watercraft 1, which openings can be closed off by means of closure devices 32, 33, 34, 35, the arrangement of which is shown schematically in FIG. 3 and which can be formed for example by flaps or valves. At the openings 4 at the bow 5 and possibly also at those at the stern, it is possible to arrange material-separating apparatuses such as filters 10, in particular grid filters, by means of which the entry of impurities into the aquaculture system can be avoided. The filters 10 may be arranged in an adjustable manner, such that they can be moved into a filtering position, in which they are arranged before or at the opening and filter the water entering the openings 4, 8, or into an outlet position, in which they open up the openings 4, 8 if water is to be drained from the aquaculture system through the openings 4, 8.

[0071] The tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 are connected to the pipeline 13 via lines 19, 21, 23, 25 and to the pipeline 14 via lines 20, 22, 24, 26. Furthermore, on the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18, there are arranged drainage devices 50, 51, 52, 53, which in each case comprise a comminution pump and via which the waste materials are discharged from the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 into the body of water.

[0072] The aquaculture system furthermore comprises a device 11 for water treatment, which is connected to the pipelines 13, 14 via lines 40, 41. As FIG. 4 schematically shows, the water treatment device 11 comprises a device 42 for cleaning the water of solid materials, for example by filtration, flotation or sedimentation, a device 43 for introducing and/or removing gas, and a denitrification and/or nitrification device 44. A pump 12, by means of which the water can be pumped through the water treatment device 11, is provided at the line 40.

[0073] Optionally, each of the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 may additionally be provided with in each case one water treatment unit 36-39, by means of which for example the oxygen content in the water can be increased and/or the nitrogen content in the water can be reduced. Such a water treatment device 36-39 could for example be an oxygen concentrator, as is conventionally used for aquaculture systems.

[0074] As can be seen in FIG. 5, at the feed and discharge lines 19-26 for the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18, there are arranged devices 45, 46 for setting a volumetric flow rate at which the water enters the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 or is moved therefrom. The magnitude of the volumetric flow rate can be changed in that openings 47 through which the water enters the respective tank 15, 16, 17, 18 or openings 48 through which the water is conducted out of the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 can be individually opened and/or closed. It goes without saying that it is also possible for the respective setting devices 45, 46 to be provided such that they can be opened and/or closed fully, preferably independently of one another.

[0075] FIG. 10 shows a separating device 54 which comprises pipes 55, 56 of a pipeline, and comprises a filter device 59 which has four filter parts 60, 61, 62, 63 which can be assembled to form the filter device.

[0076] The filter parts 60, 61, 62, 63 have filter grids 64 which, when arranged together in the filter device 59, form a hollow circular cylinder. For mechanical stabilization of the filter grids, the filter parts 60, 61, 62, 63 have in each case one connecting bar 65. Each of the filter parts 60, 61, 62, 63 forms, as is shown in particular in FIGS. 10d and 10e, in each case one quarter segment or one third segment of the filter device 59. It goes without saying that, alternatively, other segment sizes and/or another size division of the segment sizes could be provided.

[0077] The filter device 59 is arranged rotatably in a feed pipe 55 of the pipeline, as is shown by means of the arrows 67. The rotation can be carried out by means of an actuating device 66, which is introduced into the feed pipe 55. By means of the actuating device 66, it is furthermore possible for in each case one of the filter parts 60, 61, 62, 63 to be removed from the filter device 59 in order to clean it.

[0078] During the operation of the separating device 54, the filter device 59 is arranged in the feed pipe 55 in such a way that a filter grid 64 of one of the filter parts 60, 61, 62, 63 completely covers openings are formed in the discharge pipes 56 of the pipeline. Water which enters the filter device 59 (flow direction shown by arrow 57) is filtered by means of the filter grid 64 upon entry into the discharge pipes 56 and collected material is held on the filter grid 64. As soon as the respective filter part 60, 61, 62, 63 is to be cleaned, the filter device 59 is rotated to such an extent that a filter grid of another filter part completely covers the openings leading to the discharge pipes 56. The previously used filter part 60, 61, 62, 63 can then, as is shown in FIG. 10c, be removed from the filter device 59 in the direction of the arrow 68 by means of the actuating device 66. After being cleaned, the filter part 60, 61, 62, 63 can be re-inserted into the filter device 59. During operation, the above-described procedure can be repeated successively.

[0079] Advantageously, the separating device 54 may continue to be operated even during the cleaning of the individual filter parts 60, 61, 62, 63.

[0080] It goes without saying that the discharge pipes 56 can, in a manner analogous to that described above for FIG. 5, be closed off and opened individually, in order for it to be possible to control how much water is admitted in the respective tank 15, 16, 17, 18.

[0081] The separating device 54 described and the filter device 59 can also advantageously be used for filtering liquids in other apparatuses independently of the watercraft described here.

[0082] FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the shapes of the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 by way of example on the basis of the tank 15. The interior space of the tank 15 comprises a lower tank region 27 and an upper tank region 28, which has a significantly smaller inner diameter in comparison with the lower tank region 27. The lower tank region 27, which is shown in a horizontal section in FIG. 9, has a hollow-cylindrical shape. During the operation of the aquaculture system 2, the lower tank region 27 is completely filled with water and the upper tank region 28 is partially filled with water in a filling portion 30. The upper tank region 28 is expediently filled with water to such a height that the tank 15, even in the case in which it is arranged so as to be tilted with respect to the horizontal, is still completely filled at least at the lower end of the upper tank region 28. Furthermore, its maximum filling height is such that the water does not run out from the upper tank region 28 at the top even if the tank 15 is tilted by an angle of 20° away from the horizontal. The upper end of the upper tank region 28 has an opening through which air and light can enter the tank region 28 via an aeration portion 29.

[0083] As can be seen in particular in FIG. 7, the setting devices 45, 46 are connected to the tank 15 in such a way that, during the inflow and outflow through the setting devices 45, 46, the water arranged in the tank 15 is caused to flow in a manner moved in rotation about the longitudinal axis of the interior space of the tank 15.

[0084] For operating the watercraft 1 and the aquaculture system 2 arranged therein, the watercraft 1 is firstly arranged in a body of water in which aquaculture is intended to be carried out, and the pipelines 13, 14, the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 and the water treatment device 11 are flooded with water such that the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 and the water treatment device 11 are filled with water up to the waterline 6 of the watercraft. The organisms to be bred can then be put into the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18.

[0085] The tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 can be fed with water from the body of water when the watercraft 1 is moved in the body of water. The movement of the watercraft may be realized by motor-powered drive. It is preferable, however, for the watercraft to be provided with sails, so that it can be driven by wind. Said watercraft may therefore be in the form of a sailboat or sailing ship.

[0086] In order for it to be possible for the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 to be loaded with water when the watercraft is moved, the closure device 32 of the pipeline 13 is opened, the closure device 33 of the pipeline 13 is closed, and the closure device 34 of the pipeline 14 is closed and the closure device 35 of the pipeline 14 is opened. If the watercraft 1 is then moved in the direction of the arrow v, a stagnation pressure 1 is built up at the bow 5 of the watercraft 1, owing to which stagnation pressure water is pushed into the pipeline 13. Under the stagnation pressure, water is moved into the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 from the pipeline 13 through the line 19, 21, 23, 25 and, from the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18, water is again moved into the pipeline 14 through the lines 20, 22, 24, 26. From the pipeline 15, the water from the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 is drained into the body of water again through the opening 8. As a result of the feeding of water into the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 through the setting device 45 and the removal through the setting device 46, in the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18, firstly the water is set in rotation, and secondly it is ensured that the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 are continuously supplied with fresh water and water is continuously conveyed away from the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 again. Since the stagnation pressure, by way of which the water is pushed into the pipeline 13, depends on the speed at which the watercraft 1 is moved on the body of water and it is necessary to set the speed at which the water rotates in the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18, the setting of the number of openings 47, 48 of the setting devices 45, 46 is expediently realized in a manner dependent on the travel speed of the watercraft 1 and, for this purpose, said number is preferably regulated by means of a regulation means provided for this purpose.

[0087] Since, depending on the occupancy of the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 with fish, it may be necessary, the continuous feeding of fresh water into the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 becomes out, to enrich the water with oxygen, and/or to reduce the nitrogen content in the water, in order to ensure that the health of the fish is maintained, the oxygen and/or nitrogen content can be influenced by means of the oxygen and/or nitrogen regulation devices 36-39.

[0088] The flow direction of the water within the aquaculture system 2 can be changed in that, conversely with respect to the above-stated position of the closure devices 32-35, the closure devices 34 and 33 are opened and the closure devices 32 and 35 are closed. In this case, the water, under the stated stagnation pressure, then flows into the pipeline 14 and, after flowing through the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18, flows away again via the pipeline 13. Advantageously, through changing of the flow direction, the fish can be made to move in the tanks in the opposite direction, counter to the flow prevailing there. In this way, uneven muscular development of the fish can be avoided. Furthermore, the closure devices 32-35 can be positioned in such a way that the stated filters can be backflushed.

[0089] If the watercraft 1 is not moved, for example because there is no wind which could drive the watercraft 1, water can be pumped into the pipeline 13 from the body of water by means of the pump 31. For sufficient pump power, the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 are supplied with fresh water in the same manner as when the watercraft 1 is driven.

[0090] If the aquaculture system 2 has to be separated from the body of water, for example because it does not have a sufficiently good water quality, all the closure devices 32, 33, 34, 35 are closed. In order to provide the fish in the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18 with water of sufficiently good quality, the water arranged in the aquaculture system 2 is pumped by means of the pump 12 through the water treatment system 11 and cleaned and supplied with gas within the water treatment system 11. In order to ensure that a sufficient exchange of water takes place in the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18, further pumps can be provided in the aquaculture system 2, for example at the lines 19-26 or at the pipelines 13, 14.

[0091] As a result of the two-part construction of the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18, which is shown in particular in FIG. 6, it is achieved that an only relatively small interface between water and air, via which interface energy can be input into the water in the tanks, is formed, so as to avoid the fish being disturbed owing to an excessively large energy input due to the movement of the watercraft 1. However, as a result of the opening, it is achieved that air can pass to the water, so that the fish, as is appropriate to their natural behavior, are able to swim to a water surface adjoining air. The tank construction proves to be particularly advantageous if natural or artificial light can pass through the opening at the upper edge of the upper tank portion 28, since this too can promote the impression of a natural environment in the case of the fish.

[0092] As can be seen in FIG. 8, it is also possible, as an alternative to the above-described exemplary embodiment, for tanks 16a-16a′″ of different volumes to be provided. This proves to be advantageous if shoals of fish which are each of approximately the same size and/or the same age and the fish of the different shoals are accommodated according to their age or their size in tanks 16a-16a′″ which are matched to the size and/or the age of the fish and the accordingly differently sized habitats required. The young and relatively small fish are initially kept in small tanks 16a, and subsequently relocated to the in each case larger tanks 16a′, 16a″, 16a′″.

[0093] In deviation from the illustration in FIG. 1, a watercraft could have, instead of each of the tanks 15, 16, 17, 18, in each case one group of differently sized tanks 16a-16a′″, which is as shown in FIG. 8. Based on the example from FIG. 1, the watercraft would then have in each case four groups of in each case four differently sized tanks 16a-16a′″.

[0094] It proves to be advantageous to provide tanks of different volumes in particular if the organisms are farmed in mutually separated shoals whose organisms are in each case of approximately the same size and/or the same age and the organisms of the different shoals are accommodated in different tanks, which are matched to the size and/or the age of the organisms and the accordingly differently sized habitats required.

[0095] FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative device 3a for feeding water from the body of water and/or discharging water thereto. The feed device 3a, which particularly advantageously could be provided on a longitudinal side 49 of the watercraft, that is to say port or starboard side of the hull or, in the case of twin-hull or multi-hull ships, on one or more longitudinal sides of the hulls, has a feed opening 4a in which a filter 10a is arranged and which is adjoined by a pipeline 13a by means of which fresh water can be moved into the aquaculture system. The feed device 4a proves to be advantageous in particular if it is arranged rotatably on the hull. This is because, as is shown in FIG. 9a, the feed opening 4a can then be oriented in the travel direction of the watercraft 1, so that, when the watercraft 1 is traveling, water flows from the body of water directly into the feed opening 4a. Moreover, the feed opening 4a can be oriented in the opposite direction through pivoting of the feed device 3a and then used for discharging used water. If two of the feed devices 3a are arranged on the longitudinal side(s) of the hull, one may serve as feed device and the other one may serve for discharge. Through respective reversal of the orientations of the feed devices 3a, it is then possible for the flow direction in the aquaculture system to be reversed, on the one hand, and for the respective filter 10a to be backflushed, on the other hand.

[0096] The pipeline 13a may be connected to a pipeline system, as is shown in FIG. 1, 2 or 8. The pipeline 13a may open out into another pipeline, which is arranged parallel, perpendicularly or transversely to the longitudinal axis of the watercraft. It goes without saying that the watercraft may have two or more of the feed and/or outlet devices 3a, which are possibly connected to one another by a line.

[0097] In a further exemplary embodiment, at the position at which a pump is identified with the reference sign 31 in FIG. 1, there is provided a turbomachine 31 which can be used both as pump and as turbine for generation of energy. If the watercraft 1 is in the form of a sailboat and the ship were driven by wind faster than is necessary to move the watercraft 1 at a speed which permits a supply of water to the aquaculture system 2 owing to the movement of the watercraft 1, electrical energy can be generated using the turbine owing to the flow of the water through the pipeline 13. The electrical energy may, for example, be used for operating the aquaculture system or be stored in a battery, in order that it is available for later use in the watercraft 1. The amount of electrical energy absorbed using the turbine 31 can, in a manner dependent on the travel speed of the watercraft 1 relative to the water of the body of water, be regulated in such a way that the watercraft 1 at all times travels at a travel speed which is sufficiently large for supplying water to the aquaculture system.