Apparatus for growing living organisms

A system for growing living organisms having a continuous horizontal path for delivering a fluid to said living organisms comprising:

• a plurality of growing units, a fluid supply tank, and a return pump interconnected by a system of horizontal pipes, the tank being in gravitational fluid supplying relation to said plurality of growing units and said system of horizontal pipes comprising
• a fluid delivery pipe directly connecting said fluid supply tank to a first unit of said plurality of growing units,
• a plurality of inter-unit pipes, each inter-unit pipe connecting two adjacent growing units, wherein the units of said plurality of growing units are connected in a series by said inter-unit pipes, and
• a collection pipe connecting an end unit of said plurality of growing units to said return pump, said return pump system being capable of applying negative pressure to the fluid in said collection pipe and drawing the fluid from said end unit of said plurality of growing units and returning the fluid to said supply tank, wherein the longitudinal axes of said fluid delivery pipe, said plurality of inter-unit pipes, and said collection pipe are substantially aligned with a first horizontal plane.

An apparatus for growing living organisms comprising:

• a plurality of fluid carrying growing units interconnected in a series by a plurality of inter-unit pipes for delivering a fluid to said fluid carrying growing units, each growing unit having an interior horizontal lower surface located on a first substantially horizontal plane, each unit adapted to receive at least one living organism, and each inter-unit pipe directly connecting lower portions of two adjacent growing units of said plurality of fluid carrying growing units, said inter-unit pipes being longitudinally positioned on a second substantially horizontal plane;
• a pump system connected to an end unit of said plurality of fluid carrying growing units by an end pipe, said pump system for applying a negative pressure to said fluid in said end pipe, said end pipe being longitudinally positioned on said second horizontal plane;
• and
• a tank having an interior horizontal lower surface located on said first substantially horizontal plane, said first tank providing a source of said fluid and being directly connected to a first growing unit of said series of said plurality of growing units by a fluid supplying pipe, said fluid supplying pipe being longitudinally positioned on said second substantially horizontal plane, wherein said first tank is operable to supply said fluid to said plurality of fluid carrying growing units by continuous gravity flow through said growing units and said inter-unit pipes,
• said tank, said fluid supplying pipe, said plurality of fluid carrying growing units, said plurality of inter-unit pipes, said end pipe, and said pump are interconnected in a series and in gravitational fluid supplying relation along a continuous and substantially horizontal path of travel facilitating gravity flow of the fluid through said series.

A system for growing living organisms comprising:

• a first plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, each growing unit adapted to receive at least one living organism,
• a first plurality of inter-unit pipes each such pipe connecting lower portions of two adjacent units of said first plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, wherein each of said first plurality of inter-unit pipes is longitudinally positioned on a first horizontal plane;
• a second plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, each growing unit adapted to receive at least one living organism,
• a second plurality of inter-unit pipes each such pipe connecting lower portions of two adjacent units of said second plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, wherein each of said second plurality inter-unit pipes is longitudinally positioned on a second horizontal plane;
• a pump engaged with a manifold, said manifold being connected to a first collection pipe and a second collection pipe, said first collection pipe connecting said manifold to an end unit of said first plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units and said second collection pipe connecting said manifold to an end unit of said second plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, said pump being capable of applying a negative pressure to a fluid in said first and second collection pipes;
• a tank providing said fluid;
• a first delivery pipe and a second delivery pipe, said first delivery pipe connecting said tank to a first unit of said first plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units and said second delivery pipe connecting said tank to a first unit of said second plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units;
• a return pipe connecting said pump to said tank for returning said fluid to said tank, wherein said tank, said first delivery pipe, said first plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, said first plurality of inter-unit pipes, said pump, and said first collection pipe are interconnected in a first series and in gravitational fluid supplying relation along a first continuous and substantially horizontal path of travel facilitating gravity flow of the fluid through said first series, and said tank, said second delivery pipe, said second plurality of interconnected fluid carrying growing units, said second plurality of inter-unit pipes, said pump, and said second collection pipe are interconnected in a second series and in gravitational fluid supplying relation along a second continuous and substantially horizontal path of travel facilitating gravity flow of the fluid through said second series.