System and method for modular aquaculture
AssigneeScallop Bay Shellfish Company, LLC
InventorDaniel P. Ward
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A modular aquaculture system, and method of using same, deployable in a body of water having a water column, the system including at least one carrier unit defining at least one chamber in which a plurality of containers can be placed. Each container is capable of holding a plurality of organisms to be cultured, and the chamber has at least one chamber inlet for water intake and at least one chamber outlet. The system further includes support structure having sufficient flotation to suspend the at least one carrier unit in the water column. At least one drive unit actively alters a rate of water flow through the at least one chamber and past the containers.
Claims19
A self-contained, modular aquaculture system deployable in a body of water having a water column with an upper water surface and having a natural flow direction and a natural flow rate of the water, comprising:
- a plurality of containers, each container defining a plurality of openings through which water can be passed to flow water at least substantially laterally past a plurality of organisms;
- at least one carrier unit defining at least one chamber in which the plurality of containers are configured to be placed inside said chamber, each container capable of holding the plurality of organisms to be cultured, the chamber having a plurality of chamber inlets for water intake and a plurality of chamber outlets;
- support structure configured to be movable to different locations across the upper water surface and including sufficient flotation to suspend the at least one carrier unit in the water column while the organisms are cultured, wherein the support structure has a lift mechanism configured to raise and lower the carrier unit relative to the support structure and capable of raising the carrier unit sufficiently above the upper water surface to expose the containers to the atmosphere above the upper water surface of the water column;
- at least one water drive unit operable to actively alter at least one of the natural flow direction and/or the natural flow rate of the water to at least one of a changed direction and/or an adjusted flow rate through the at least one chamber and past the containers to improve growing conditions for the organisms while the organisms are cultured;
- at least one sensor to monitor at least one environmental parameter in the water column in proximity to the at least one carrier unit;
- and
- a controller responsive to the sensor to command the water drive unit to adjust the rate and/or direction of water flow through the at least one carrier unit to improve growing conditions for the organisms while the organisms are cultured.
A method of utilizing a self-contained, modular shellfish aquaculture system deployable in a body of water having a water column with an upper water surface and having a natural flow direction and a natural flow rate of the water, comprising:
- selecting at least one carrier unit defining at least one chamber in which containers are configured to be placed inside the chamber, and the chamber having a plurality of chamber inlets for water intake and a plurality of chamber outlets;
- selecting a plurality of containers sized to fit within the at least one chamber, each container defining a plurality of openings having a first average opening size for that container through which water can be passed to flow water past shellfish, and placing in each container a plurality of shellfish to be cultured;
- selecting support structure configured to be movable to different locations across the upper water surface and including sufficient flotation to suspend the at least one carrier unit in the water column, and suspending the at least one carrier unit with the plurality of containers therein immersed in the water column while the shellfish are cultured, wherein the support structure has a lift mechanism configured to raise and lower the carrier unit relative to the support structure and capable of raising the carrier unit sufficiently above the upper water surface to expose the containers to the atmosphere above the upper water surface of the water column;
- selecting at least one water drive unit operable to actively alter at least one of the natural flow direction and/or the natural flow rate of the water to at least one of a changed direction and/or an adjusted flow rate through the at least one chamber and past the containers to improve growing conditions for the shellfish while the shellfish are cultured;
- and
- monitoring at least one environmental parameter of the water in proximity to the containers while the shellfish are cultured utilizing at least one sensor, and selectively operating the at least one water drive unit utilizing at least one controller to change the adjusted flow rate and/or the changed direction as needed to optimize readings of the at least one environmental parameter to improve growing conditions for the shellfish while the shellfish are cultured.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.