Organism evaluation system and method of use

An organism evaluation system for analyzing organisms within a fluid flow, comprising:

• a flow normalizing section comprising an inlet chute having an expanding tapered inlet chute inner bore from a first coupling to a second coupling, the inlet chute being formed in an inlet chute first plane and a perpendicular inlet chute second plane such that the inlet chute first and second planes intersect along an inlet chute central axis, the inlet chute inner bore being tapered in the inlet chute first plane greater than in the inlet chute second plane, the inlet chute inner bore defining at the inlet chute first coupling a first cross-sectional area and thereby allowing for a first flow velocity therethrough of the fluid flow and further defining at the inlet chute second coupling a second cross-sectional area that is greater than the first cross-sectional area and thereby allowing for a second flow velocity therethrough of the fluid flow that is less than the first flow velocity;
• a stimulation section configured for agitating organisms within the fluid flow, the stimulation section selected from the group consisting of a disorientation spiral, the inlet chute, a light source, and a hydraulic/mechanical excitation device;
• and
• a viewing section in fluid communication with and downstream of the stimulation section and the flow normalizing section, the viewing section comprising a body having formed therein a body cavity defining a viewing port visible to an optical system mounted relative to the body for viewing the fluid flow within the viewing port through a cavity first opening;
• wherein:
• the viewing port of the viewing section defines a depth of field along a line of sight of the cavity first opening that is substantially equivalent to the inlet chute inner bore in the inlet chute second plane at the inlet chute second coupling and defines a width across the viewing port that is substantially equivalent to the inlet chute inner bore in the inlet chute first plane at the inlet chute second coupling and so defines a viewing port profile that is substantially equivalent to the second cross-sectional area;
• and wherein:
• the inlet chute of the flow normalizing section receives the fluid flow at the first flow velocity and delivers the fluid flow at the second flow velocity to the viewing port of the viewing section;
• and further wherein:
• the viewing section is configured in cooperation with the flow normalizing section and the optical system such that multiple frames of image data relating to the fluid flow and a discrete organism therein are acquired via the optical system for analysis.

An organism evaluation system for analyzing organisms within a fluid flow, comprising:

• a flow normalizing section comprising an inlet chute having an expanding tapered inlet chute inner bore from a first coupling to a second coupling, the inlet chute being formed in an inlet chute first plane and a perpendicular inlet chute second plane such that the inlet chute first and second planes intersect along an inlet chute central axis, the inlet chute inner bore being tapered in the inlet chute first plane greater than in the inlet chute second plane, the inlet chute inner bore defining at the inlet chute first coupling a first cross-sectional area and thereby allowing for a first flow velocity therethrough of the fluid flow and further defining at the inlet chute second coupling a second cross-sectional area that is greater than the first cross-sectional area and thereby allowing for a second flow velocity therethrough of the fluid flow that is less than the first flow velocity;
• a sample pre-conditioning section upstream of and in fluid communication with the flow normalizing section and configured to receive and process a fluid sample and pass the fluid sample along to the flow normalizing section as the fluid flow, the sample pre-conditioning section comprising a main sample tank having one or more of a first outlet having a buoyant first filtered intake and a second outlet having a submerged second filtered intake;
• and
• a viewing section in fluid communication with and downstream of the sample pre-conditioning section and the flow normalizing section, the viewing section comprising a body having formed therein a body cavity defining a viewing port visible to an optical system mounted relative to the body for viewing the fluid flow within the viewing port through a cavity first opening;
• wherein:
• the viewing port has a viewing port profile having a width-to-height aspect ratio corresponding to the inlet chute inner bore between the inlet chute first and second planes at the inlet chute second coupling of at least approximately 20:1;
• and wherein:
• the inlet chute of the flow normalizing section receives the fluid flow at the first flow velocity and delivers the fluid flow at the second flow velocity to the viewing port of the viewing section;
• and further wherein:
• the viewing section is configured in cooperation with the flow normalizing section and the optical system such that multiple frames of image data relating to the fluid flow and a discrete organism therein are acquired via the optical system for analysis.