Method, system and apparatus for asymmetric flow guidance of fish
OwnerDavid L Smithinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for guiding fish through a body of water having a water flow includes one or more hydrofoil element oriented in the body of water to produce an asymmetric flow field that has a fast, low turbulent flow on one side of the element and a slow, high turbulent flow on the other side of the element. Positively rheotactic fish have a preference for one side versus the other and so are guided in a desired direction. Systems and method that utilize the apparatus can be used to guide fish away from infrastructure such as dams, locks, levees, flood weirs, and other diversion points.
Claims17
A system for guiding fish through a body of water selected from the group consisting of a river and a stream, said body of water further comprising, a dam and a bypass, the system comprising:
- said river or stream having a water flow;
- and
- at least a first hydrofoil apparatus and a second hydrofoil apparatus located in said body of water at a distance from said dam and for guiding fish through the body of water and approaching said dam from a distance, guiding the fish in a direction away from the dam and guiding the fish in a direction toward and/or into the bypass,
- wherein the first hydrofoil apparatus and the second hydrofoil apparatus are oriented in the body of water to produce an asymmetric flow field comprising a fast, low turbulent flow on one side of the first hydrofoil apparatus and the second hydrofoil apparatus and a slow, high turbulent flow on the other side of the first hydrofoil apparatus and the second hydrofoil apparatus, wherein fish in the body of water react to the asymmetric flow field and are guided to swim toward the fast, low turbulent flow,
- wherein the first hydrofoil apparatus and the second hydrofoil apparatus have a convex curvature on both sides of the apparatus, in a transverse cross section.
A system for guiding at least a first type of fish and a second type of fish, said at least first and second type of fish being different, through a body of water selected from the group consisting of a river and a stream, said body of water further comprising a dam and a bypass, the system comprising:
- said river or stream having a water flow;
- and
- at least a first hydrofoil apparatus and a second hydrofoil apparatus located in said body of water at a distance from said dam and for guiding said at least a first and a second type of fish through the body of water and approaching said dam from a distance,
- wherein the first hydrofoil apparatus and the second hydrofoil apparatus are oriented in the body of water to produce a first asymmetric flow field comprising a fast, low turbulent flow on one side of the first hydrofoil apparatus and a slow, high turbulent flow on the other side of the first hydrofoil apparatus and a second asymmetric flow field comprising a fast, low turbulent flow on one side of the second hydrofoil apparatus and a slow, high turbulent flow on the other side of the second hydrofoil apparatus, said first asymmetric flow field being different from said second asymmetric flow field, wherein the first asymmetric flow field guides said first type of fish and the second asymmetric flow field guides-said second different type of fish, and separating and guiding said at least first and second types of fish,
- wherein the first hydrofoil apparatus and the second hydrofoil apparatus have a convex curvature on both sides of the apparatus, in a transverse cross section.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.