Back to results
US 9,980,469 B2Granted
Offshore aquaculture system
AssigneeSea Control Holdings Ltd.
InventorShay Brosh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An offshore aquaculture system based on a semisubmersible platform having storage and maintenance facilities for supporting aquaculture with an attached framework, to which net covered rigid aquaculture cages are movably connected and controllably positioned according to sea conditions. The cages may be sunk or raised to protect the aquaculture products, and all maintenance and feeding is carried out by crew onboard the platform.
Claims18
An offshore aquaculture system comprising:
- a semisubmersible platform comprising buoyancy mechanisms controllable to change buoyancy of the semisubmersible platform and having storage and maintenance facilities for supporting aquaculture,
- a framework separate from the semisubmersible platform and connected thereto, wherein the framework is submerged below sea level
- a plurality of net covered rigid aquaculture cages movably connected by a controllable positioning apparatus to the framework, wherein the cages are enclosed within the framework and are vertically movable with respect to the framework,
- a control unit arranged to control the positioning apparatus and to determine a depth of the plurality of rigid aquaculture cages with respect to sea level according to sea conditions, wherein the positioning apparatus comprises a locking mechanism that has a floor locking position in which the cage is movable with respect to the platform and a cage locking position in which the floor is movable with respect to the cage whilst the cage is fixed with respect to the platform.
1 more element
An offshore aquaculture method comprising:
- practicing aquaculture in a plurality of net covered rigid aquaculture cages that are movably connected to a framework, which is separate from and connected to a semi-submersible platform, the submersible platform comprising buoyancy mechanisms controllable to change buoyancy of the semi-submersible platform, wherein the framework is submerged below sea level, and wherein the cages are enclosed within the framework and are vertically movable with respect to the framework,
- controlling a depth of the cages with respect to sea level according to sea conditions using a controllable positioning apparatus movably connecting the cages to the framework and controlled by a control unit, and
- equipping the platform to support continuous offshore aquaculture in the cages, wherein the positioning apparatus comprises a locking mechanism that has a floor locking position in which the cage is movable with respect to the platform and a cage locking position in which the floor is movable with respect to the cage whilst the cage is fixed with respect to the platform.
An offshore aquaculture system comprising:
- a semisubmersible platform comprising buoyancy mechanisms controllable to change buoyancy and having storage and maintenance facilities for supporting aquaculture,
- a framework, comprising a plurality of rails, connected to the semisubmersible platform,
- a plurality of net covered rigid aquaculture cages movably connected by a controllable positioning apparatus to the framework, wherein the cages are vertically movable with respect to the platform,
- a control unit arranged to control the positioning apparatus and to determine a depth of the plurality of rigid aquaculture cages with respect to sea level according to sea conditions, and
- a motor connected to the cage, controlled by the control unit and arranged to move the cage vertically, wherein
- the motor connected to the cage by a vertical cable connected to a vertically movable floor of the cage, and
- each cage further comprises a pivoted rotatable tab adjacent to an edge of the floor,
- the controllable positioning apparatus comprising a locking mechanism comprising:
- a rotatable vertical shaft comprising a plurality of parallel pins at specified heights along the shaft, the pins fitting into corresponding holes in the cage,
- a protrusion fitting into the rotatable tab and arranged to rotate the rotatable tab upon rotation of the shaft, wherein
- the locking mechanism has a floor locking position and a cage locking position that are interchangeable by rotation of the shaft,
- in the floor locking position the protrusion holds the rotatable tab to connect the floor to the cage upon an upwards vertical movement to allow moving the cage vertically, and
- in the cage locking position the protrusion releases the tab to free the floor and the pins are inserted into the corresponding holes in the cage, to allow moving the floor vertically while affixing the cage.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.