# US 11,076,581 B2 · Nested raceway system

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- Number: US 11,076,581 B2
- Document ID: US11076581B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/182,651
- Filed: 2018-11-07
- Published: 2020-05-07
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2018-11-07
- Applicants: Bonnie Jean Warecki
- Inventors: Bonnie Jean Warecki
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076581B2

## CPC

- A01K 61/60: Floating cultivation devices, e.g. rafts or floating fish-farms
- A01K 63/00: Receptacles for live fish, e.g. aquaria (keepnets or other containers for keeping captured fish A01K97/20); Terraria
- A01K 61/10: of fish
- A01K 63/04: Arrangements for treating water specially adapted to receptacles for live fish
- Y02A 40/81: Aquaculture, e.g. of fish
- A01K: ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; AVICULTURE; APICULTURE; PISCICULTURE; FISHING; REARING OR BREEDING ANIMALS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NEW BREEDS OF ANIMALS
- Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

## Abstract

This disclosure provides a nested raceway system configured to be used with two or more nested vessels. More specifically, a nested raceway system includes a first vessel and a second vessel. In an embodiment, there may be more than two vessels. In another embodiment, the first vessel has a base with a head-end bulkhead, a tail-end bulkhead. The second vessel has a second base with a plurality of apertures thereon, a second head-end bulkhead, and a second tail-end bulkhead. The second vessel is nested (i.e., suspended) within the first vessel and creates at least two habitats within the first vessel. The plurality of apertures allows for small marine life, algae, or other valuable minerals to sink to the bottom to be removed or grown. In an embodiment, the first and second vessels are constructed of a floatable, durable, and flexible material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for use in water with flowable material comprising:
a first vessel comprising:
a first base comprising a head edge, a tail edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge;
the first base further comprising a chemically stable-in-water water-impervious sheet material;
wherein the first base extends from the head edge along a first centerline axis to the tail edge, and extends from the first side edge partially around the first centerline axis to the second side edge; and,
a head-end bulkhead mechanically secured to the head edge from the first edge to the second edge, and a tail-end bulkhead mechanically secured to the tail edge from the first edge to the second edge, wherein the head-end bulkhead comprises a first flow window, and the tail-end bulkhead comprises a second flow window;
a second vessel comprising:
a second base comprising a second head edge, a second tail edge, a third side edge, and a fourth side edge;
wherein the second base extends from the second head edge along a second centerline axis to the tail edge, and extends from the third side edge partially around the second centerline axis to the fourth side edge;
a second head-end bulkhead mechanically attached to the second head-end, and a second tail-end bulkhead mechanically attached to the second tail-end, wherein the second head-end bulkhead comprises a third flow window, and the second tail-end bulkhead comprises a fourth flow window;
the second base further comprising a chemically stable-in-water sheet material that is water-impervious except at a plurality of apertures;
wherein (i) the first flow window is horizontally aligned with at least a portion of the third flow window and (ii) the second vessel is nested in the first vessel and defines a first habitat and a second habitat; and,
wherein at least one bulkhead substantially prevents the flowable material from entering a respective vessel through the bulkhead except by passing through a respective flow window in the bulkhead.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a third vessel comprising:
a third base comprising a third head edge, a third tail edge, a fifth side edge, and a sixth side edge, wherein the third base extends from the third edge along a third centerline axis to the tail edge, and extends from the fifth side edge partially around the third centerline axis to the sixth side edge;
a third head-end bulkhead mechanically attached to the third head-end, and a third tail-end bulkhead mechanically attached to the third tail edge, wherein the third head-end bulkhead comprises fifth flow window, and the third tail-end bulkhead comprises a sixth flow window;
the third base further comprising a plurality of apertures;
wherein the third vessel is nested within the second vessel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the base is comprised of a chemically stable material that has a density of less than water.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, the first vessel further comprising a quiet-zone bulkhead mechanically attached to the first base from the first side edge to the second side edge and located between the tail-end bulkhead of the first vessel and the tail-end bulkhead of the second vessel, wherein the quiet-zone bulkhead comprises another flow window.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first centerline axis and the second centerline axis are the same axis.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first side edge extends to the second side edge along an arc for at least one of the first vessel and the second vessel, the head-end bulkhead further comprises a first semi-circular shape, and the tail-end bulkhead further comprises a second semi-circular shape.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the arc, the first semi-circular shape, and the second circular shape are concentric.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a vertically hung material, wherein the vertically hung material extends parallel to the second centerline axis from the second head edge to the second tail edge, and wherein the vertically hung material extends from above a waterline to the second base.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the vertically hung material comprises a plurality of apertures.

### Claim 10 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the vertically hung material is a bio-friendly netting.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first base and the second base are each one piece of continuous material.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first base and the second base are each flexible and rollable.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, the head-end bulkhead further comprising an eighth flow window and a ninth flow window.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first vessel and the second vessel has each of its bulkheads that substantially prevents flowable material from entering a respective vessel through the bulkheads except by passing through a respective flow window in the bulkheads.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein each of the vessels has each of its bulkheads that substantially prevents flowable material from entering a respective vessel through the bulkheads except by passing through a respective flow window in the bulkheads.

### Claim 16

A system comprising:
a raceway comprising:
a first vessel comprising:
a first base comprising a head edge, a tail edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge;
wherein the first base extends from the head edge along a first centerline axis to the tail edge, and extends from the first side edge partially around the first centerline axis to the second side edge; and,
a head-end bulkhead mechanically secured to the head edge from the first edge to the second edge, and a tail-end bulkhead mechanically secured to the tail edge from the first edge to the second edge, wherein the head-end bulkhead comprises first flow window, and the tail-end bulkhead comprises a second flow window;
a second vessel comprising:
a second base comprising a second head edge, a second tail edge, a third side edge, and a fourth side edge;
wherein the second base extends from the second head edge along a second centerline axis to the tail edge, and extends from the third side edge partially around the second centerline axis to the fourth side edge;
a second head-end bulkhead mechanically attached to the second head-end, and a second tail-end bulkhead mechanically attached to the second tail-end, wherein the second head-end bulkhead comprises a third flow window, and the second tail-end bulkhead comprises a fourth flow window;
the second base further comprising a plurality of apertures; and,
wherein the second vessel is nested in the first vessel;
an airlift mechanically attached to the first window that extends in a curved shape to a distal end;
a blower comprising a motor and a tube, wherein the tube extends from the motor to the distal end of the airlift;
a dock, wherein the dock extends around the first vessel and is mechanically attached to the first vessel; and
an anchor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the anchor is a single-point-anchoring system attached to the first vessel.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, the first vessel further comprising a quiet-zone bulkhead imperviously sealed to the material from the first edge to the second edge and located between the tail-end bulkhead of the first vessel and the tail-end bulkhead of the second vessel, and wherein the quiet-zone bulkhead comprises a third flow window.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the distance from the quiet-zone bulkhead to the tail-end bulkhead defines a quiet-zone.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The system of claim 19, wherein the system further comprises a pump, wherein the pump includes a motor and a hose, wherein the hose extends from a bottom of the quiet-zone to the pump and may be used to remove settled solids from the quiet zone.

### Claim 21 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the airlift is removable from the first vessel.

### Claim 22 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, wherein the first flow window is horizontally aligned with at least a portion of the third flow window.

### Claim 23

An apparatus comprising:
a first vessel comprising:
a first base comprising a head edge, a tail edge, a first side edge, and a second side edge;
wherein the first base extends from the head edge along a first centerline axis to the tail edge, and extends from the first side edge partially around the first centerline axis to the second side edge; and,
a head-end bulkhead mechanically secured to the head edge from the first edge to the second edge, and a tail-end bulkhead mechanically secured to the tail edge from the first edge to the second edge, wherein the head-end bulkhead comprises a first flow window, and the tail-end bulkhead comprises a second flow window;
a second vessel comprising:
a second base comprising a second head edge, a second tail edge, a third side edge, and a fourth side edge;
wherein the second base extends from the second head edge along a second centerline axis to the tail edge, and extends from the third side edge partially around the second centerline axis to the fourth side edge;
a second head-end bulkhead mechanically attached to the second head-end, and a second tail-end bulkhead mechanically attached to the second tail-end, wherein the second head-end bulkhead comprises a third flow window, and the second tail-end bulkhead comprises a fourth flow window;
the second base further comprising a plurality of apertures;
wherein the second vessel is nested in the first vessel and defines a first habitat and a second habitat; and,
wherein the first vessel further comprising a quiet-zone bulkhead mechanically attached to the first base from the first side edge to the second side edge and located between the tail-end bulkhead of the first vessel and the tail-end bulkhead of the second vessel and the quiet-zone bulkhead comprises another flow window.
