Floating marine plant for containing marine organisms
View Patent ↗A floating plant ( 8 ) comprises a container ( 1 ) and a mooring element ( 2 ) provided with respective guide elements ( 10, 13 ). The guide elements have a mutual complementary shape such that the container ( 1 ) and the mooring element ( 2 ) may move freely with respect to each other in directions that coincide with the container central axis (CL). A plurality of elongated buoyancy elements ( 10 ) are arranged on the container outside and arranged between the container bottom end ( 17 ) and the container upper end ( 18 ), preferably parallel with the container central axis (CL). The container may be transported to the installation site, floating in the water and stabilized by means of the buoyancy elements ( 10 ). The mooring element ( 2 ) may be transported to the installation site, either in one piece or on several pieces ( 2 a, 2 b ), and mounted such that it surrounds a portion of the container. The container is raised and lowered in the body of water by controlling the amount of water in the container.
1. A floating plant ( 8 ; 8 ′), comprising a container ( 1 ; 1 ′) configured for floating in a body of water surrounded by a mooring element ( 2 ; 2 ′) also configured for floating in a body of water, wherein the container comprises
an impermeable wall ( 4 ) and an impermeable bottom ( 5 ) such that raising and lowering of the container relative to the mooring element is accomplished solely by controlling the amount of water in the container;
the container ( 1 ; 1 ′) is provided with one or more guiding structures ( 10 ) and the mooring element ( 2 ; 2 ′) is provided with one or more guide elements ( 13 ),
the one or more guide elements ( 13 ) being configured to fit an outside shape of the one or more guiding structures ( 10 ) such that the container ( 1 ) and the mooring element ( 2 ) can move freely with respect to each other in directions that coincide with a central axis (C L ) of the container; and
a water intake system that includes
an intake tubular ( 70 ) connected to and supported by the mooring element ( 2 ′) and fluidly connected to an intake pump system inside the mooring element ( 2 ′), the intake tubular ( 70 ) extending to a depth in the body of water corresponding to a lower end of the container ( 1 ′) when the latter is in a lowered position;
a flexible conduit ( 72 ) supported by the mooring element ( 2 ′) and extending into the body of water along a length of the container ( 1 ′), the flexible conduit ( 72 ) being fluidly connected to the intake pump system; and
a tubular ( 73 ) connected to the flexible conduit ( 72 ) and extending along the impermeable wall ( 4 ), the tubular ( 73 ) being fluidly connected to a plurality of outlets ( 74 ), each of which extends through the impermeable wall ( 4 ) and into the container ( 1 ′).
2. The floating plant of claim 1 , wherein the one or more guiding structures ( 10 ) comprise elongated elements ( 10 ) extending between a bottom end ( 17 ) of the container and an upper end ( 18 ) of the container.
3. The floating plant of claim 1 , wherein the one or more guiding structures ( 10 ) comprise buoyancy means.
4. The floating plant of claim 1 , further comprising buoyancy means.
5. The floating plant of claim 1 , wherein the one or more guiding structures ( 10 ) are arranged on the container outer side and arranged parallel with the container central axis (C L ).
6. The floating plant of claim 1 , wherein the container ( 1 ) is cylinder-shaped and the one or more guiding structures ( 10 ) are arranged symmetrically in relation to the container cylinder shape.
7. The floating plant of claim 1 , wherein the one or more guiding structures ( 10 ) are placed symmetrically about the container circumference, with the same angular distance between two adjacent guiding structures.
8. The floating plant of claim 1 , wherein the one or more guide elements ( 13 ) are placed in the mooring element with the same angular distance between two adjacent guide elements ( 13 ).
9. The floating plant of claim 1 , wherein the container ( 1 ; 1 ′) has an upper opening ( 3 ).
10. The floating plant of claim 9 , wherein the bottom ( 5 ) is funnel-shaped and at least one evacuation hose ( 6 ) is connected to a lower opening in the bottom.
11. The floating plant of claim 1 , wherein the mooring element ( 2 ; 2 ′) comprises mooring means ( 11 ) for mooring to a seabed, and one or more buoyancy chambers ( 16 ), whereby the mooring element may float in a water surface (S).
12. The floating plant of claim 1 , wherein the mooring element ( 2 ) comprises two or more sections ( 2 a , 2 b ) configured to be mounted around the container when the container and the two or more sections are floating in the water.
13. The floating plant of claim 1 , wherein the container ( 1 ′) comprises a support member ( 41 ) for abutment against at least a portion of the mooring element ( 2 ′).
14. The floating plant of claim 13 , wherein the support member ( 41 ) comprises a circumferential ledge arranged in an upper region of the container.
15. The floating plant of claim 1 , wherein the plant is a plant for breeding and/or containing fish or other marine organisms.
16. A method of installing the floating plant according to claim 3 at an installation site, the method comprising:
a) transporting the container ( 1 ; 1 ′) to the installation site by floating the container in the water and stabilizing the container by means of buoyancy means;
b) transporting the mooring element ( 2 ; 2 ′) to the installation site, either in one piece or in several parts ( 2 a , 2 b ); and
c) mounting the mooring element ( 2 ; 2 ′) such that the mooring element surrounds a portion of the container.
17. A method of raising and lowering a container ( 1 ; 1 ′) in a body of water, relative to a mooring element ( 2 ; 2 ′), in the floating plant according to claim 1 , characterized by controlling the amount of water in the container.