WO2015009160A1

WO2015009160A1 - System and device for rendering parasites harmless

Info

Publication number: WO2015009160A1
Application number: PCT/NO2014/000035
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vidar Saue; Arne Veidung
Original assignee: Maritime Vision Bergen As
Current assignee: Maritime Vision Bergen As
Priority date: 2013-07-18
Filing date: 2014-07-17
Publication date: 2015-01-22
Anticipated expiration: 2016-01-18
Also published as: NO20140640A1

Abstract

A device (20) to render parasites, such as salmon lice, harmless is described, comprising a body (22) arranged to be lowered down into water (16), and where the body (22) is equipped with light (24) to attract said parasites. The body (22) comprises an outer, electric current conducting surface connected to a high voltage module (30) arranged in the body (22), arranged to transmit electric pulses at a voltage that kills or weakens parasites. Also described is a system composed of several devices as described.

Description

System and device for rendering parasites harmless.

The present invention relates to a system and a device for rendering parasites, such as salmon lice, harmless, comprising a body arranged to be lowered down into water, and where the body is equipped with light to attract said parasites . After salmon farming/fish farming started, the problems with the parasite, salmon lice, have become a great challenge for the health of the fish and the environment in general. Today's solutions are based on chemical compositions that are not sustainable and which, in addition, are costly and very resource demanding for the fish farmers, and also it is a challenge for wild fish such as, for example, wild salmon and sea trout. Salmon louse is a parasite that fastens to the fish and causes much damage and suffering for the fish. Because of the large amounts of salmon lice on the fish, the farming installations become hatching units for billions of salmon lice that are released into the ocean. The salmon louse has a behaviour and behaviour pattern that the present invention wants to utilise to kill or weaken the salmon louse so that it does not settle on the fish. In this context the invention is developed as a preventative means and will, through its functions, kill or weaken the louse to prevent it becoming attached to the fish. According to the invention an electronic device is

provided that attracts and kills zooplankton/salmon lice, and where the device uses light with wavelengths that attract zooplankton/salmon lice, and where the device sends out electric pulses with a voltage that kills zooplankton/salmon lice.

From the patent literature reference is made, among others, to N0331345B1, GB 2286756A, NO327350B1 and

N0313931B1.

From N0331345B1 it is known to use a device to track the lice with the help of an optical system, and thereafter to fire a laser that fires light pulses to kill the louse when it attaches itself to the fish. Thus, the use of electric current pulses is not known from N0331345B1.

Attracting lice with the help of light is known from GB 2286756A, that describes a salmon lice trap that emits light and lights up a body of water. The light attracts the salmon lice that flock together and are caught in the trap. The salmon lice that are killed, either by exposure to radiation, crushing or other similar methods, are thereafter removed from the trap.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device and a system, and in a sense a method, to attract parasites in water, such as harmful zooplankton, salmon lice, etc. and thereafter kill or weaken the harmful parasites.

The invention provides a technical device and catch trap to attract and kill/weaken harmful zooplankton species, for example, salmon lice, by attracting the salmon lice with special wave lengths/frequencies and thereafter to send out one or a series of electric pulses that kill or weaken the salmon lice. The light wavelengths can be sent out over 360x360 degrees around the unit. The device will electrically be able to kill or weaken/render harmless the zooplankton/salmon lice in the vicinity of an outer electric current conducting surface (metal or other electric current conducting materials) with

frequencies /electrical pulses.

The device according to the invention comprises an

insulated electrical conductor that is suspended a given length down into the sea with one or more units. The number of units per string is dependent on the depth at which the salmon lice can be found. Data about the

copepodites is that they live in open water at depths of between 0 and about 10 metres. The device can be connected together with several other devices with an overlapping distance between each other so that the distance is such that the salmon lice shall be attracted by the light waves from the unit and the electrical pulses kill or weaken the salmon lice when they assemble at the units.

The devices can cover a grid pattern in the sea that kills or weakens zooplankton/salmon lice horizontally and vertically in the sea.

The devices can be suspended as electrical barriers or fences around, or along, the farming installation with overlapping of the electrical current fields to kill or weaken the zooplankton/salmon lice that sift through these barriers /fences /electric fields.

These fences or barriers can be set out across the flow directions on both sides of the installations or surround the whole installation. The fences or barriers can also be set out in dedicated areas to help prevent wild salmon and sea trout from being infected by salmon lice. Several tests have been carried out with the units

according to the invention in test basins that show that copepodites / salmon lice are attracted to wavelengths between 450 and 570 nm. It has also been documented that salmon lice are attracted towards certain wavelengths, such that by emitting these wavelengths from these units the zooplankton/salmon lice come in towards the centre of the unit which in turn emits pulses of electrical field which thereafter kills or weakens zooplankton/salmon lice.

The devices can be made in many types of electric current conducting materials that can be manufactured in all possible shapes. The outer, electric current conducting surface can, for example, be made in a steel/metal quality or stainless steel or carbon fibre.

The above mentioned objects are reached with a device to render parasites, such as salmon lice, harmless,

comprising a body arranged to be submersed in water and where the body is equipped with light to attract said parasites, characterised in that the body comprises an outer, electric current conducting surface connected to a high-voltage module arranged in the body, arranged to emit electrical pulses at a voltage that kills or weakens the parasites.

The body can have a ball-form or a cylinder-form and be arranged to transmit electrical pulses radially. The body can be supplied with a primary voltage in the form of a low voltage via a cable where the outer, electric current conducting surface is arranged to function as an anode in collaboration with the surrounding seawater when the voltage is below a given value and where the outer, electric current conducting surface is arranged to function as a cathode in collaboration with the

surrounding seawater when the voltage is above a given value . The outer, electric current conducting surface can, for example, be arranged to function as a cathode in

collaboration with the surrounding seawater when the voltage is higher than IV. The body can be composed of two half-ball form parts.

Several lights, such as LED lights, can be arranged around the circumference of the body, where each light is mounted in a light opening.

The light openings can be arranged about the body so that the light shines out in 360 degrees in all directions from the ball form and where the light rays from each light opening overlap each other.

The light openings can have a conical or concave surface. Furthermore, the light can be emitted at wavelengths between 450 and 570 nm.

A water flow stabiliser, such as a rotary plate can be arranged around the body.

Furthermore, a number of cameras can be arranged in the body . The above mentioned aims are reached with a system for rendering parasites, such as salmon lice, harmless, where several devices that are described are suspended in a number of cables that stretch down into the water to form a barrier or a fence and which are arranged to send out electric pulses at a voltage that kills or weakens the parasites .

The electric fence or barrier can be placed about a farming installation for the farming of marine organisms. Alternatively, the electric fence or the barrier can be placed on selected water flow sides of a farming

installation for the farming of marine organisms. The devices can be connected to an external control unit arranged to receive signals from the cameras in the body and to display pictures on a display unit.

The control unit can be connected to a number of sensors to read one or more of: currency/voltage, conductivity, temperature, ocean depth, strength of the light rays, scattering of the light and frequency, in or around the body. Furthermore, the control unit can be connected to an alarm .

The invention shall now be described in more detail with the help of the enclosed figures, in which:

Figure 1 shows an outline of a number of devices according to the invention suspended as a barrier or fence at a farming installation.

Figures 2-6 show different variants of a device according to the invention.

Figure 7 shows a control system connected to the devices according to the invention.

Figure 1 shows a system 10 according to the invention and comprises a number of devices 20 suspended from one or several cables 14. The cables 14 stretch down into the water 16 and surround or are placed at selected sides of a farming installation 12 for marine organisms. According to the system a barrier or a fence is formed that is arranged to send out electric pulses at a voltage that kills or weakens parasites, such as salmon lice. The barriers or the fences can be set up as indicated earlier. The cables 14 can be anchored to the bottom, or be equipped with weight elements such as, for example, lead rope.

As shown in figure 7, all or just selected devices 20 can be connected to an external control system 50. For

example, each suspension of devices 20 can be connected to the control system. The control system or the unit 50 is preferably arranged to receive signals from cameras 42 and to project pictures or other data on a display unit 56.

Furthermore, it is preferred that the control unit 50 is connected to a number of sensors 58 that are set out down in the water 16, a display screen 56 and an alarm 54 and with cables 60a, 60b for the supply of electricity and for data connection. Furthermore, the control unit 50 is connected with respective devices 20 via a cable 52. The cable 52 can be connected or coupled to the cable 14 or it can be the same cable. The sensors 58 will be able to read many parameters in the water, among them are

current /voltage , conductivity, temperature, ocean depth, strength of the light rays, light scattering and

frequency, in or around the devices 20. Data from the sensors 58 can be stored and analysed. The alarm 54 will be able to give a warning about irregularities with the system, or when other incidents occur that require

immediate attention.

Thus, with the control system a complete monitoring of the conditions around a farming installation or other suitable areas can be achieved, and also monitoring of the

operation of the devices.

The device 20 according to the invention shall now be described in more detail with the help of figures 2-6. The figures show the device according to the invention in principle and must not be regarded as absolute.

The figures 2 and 3 show a first embodiment of a device 20 and comprise a body 22 that preferably has a ball form or a cylinder form. The body 22 can be composed of two half ball-form parts 22a, 22b that are mounted to or squeezed around the cable 14. This will also be the case if the body has a cylinder form.

Furthermore, the body 22 is equipped with several lights 24 placed around the circumference of the body so that light can be sent out in all directions. It is preferred that the lights 24 are LED lights and each light can be mounted in a separate light opening 26. The light openings 26 have preferentially a conical or concave surface, a parabolic shape or the like, to provide a better

reflection and to contribute to the best possible

scattering of the light. Furthermore, the light openings 26 will be placed around the body 22 so that the light preferentially is sent out over 360 degrees in all

directions from the body. Furthermore, the light rays 28 from each light opening 26 can overlap each other. The scattering of the light rays are marked by the dotted lines. The reference number 28a marks the overlap between the light rays. The parasites, here shown by the reference number 18, will then be attracted to all the areas around the body 22. Copepodites/salmon lice are attracted, as mentioned, to light wavelengths between 450 and 570 nm, and the light can consequently be set to said wavelengths or to other desirable wavelengths.

The body 22 has an outer, electric current conducting surface that is connected to a high voltage module 30 placed in the body and which is arranged to emit electric pulses at a voltage that kills or weakens the parasite. The primary voltage in the form of a low voltage is supplied via the cable 14, where the cable is

preferentially an insulated cable with a conductor 14a, as a cathode, delivers voltage to the LED lights and with voltage pulses for the killing of the salmon

lice/copepodites . The electric current direction in the water can be changed by altering the supplied voltage. When the voltage is below a given value the outer, electric current conducting surface is arranged to

function as an anode in collaboration with the surrounding seawater. When the voltage is above a given value the outer, electric current conducting surface is arranged to function as a cathode in collaboration with the

surrounding seawater. The given voltage can be, for example, IV. Other values can also be used, for example, the outer, electric current conducting surface can be an anode at 12V and a cathode from 15 to 48V. 16a illustrates the common negative/earth of seawater as an anode.

As the devices use seawater as anodes/common negative this will therefore simplify and make the solution economically affordable in production and operation. The devices are not dangerous as the primary voltage that drives the solution is a low voltage and the electric pulses have a character that is not harmful to humans and fish, but with a current strength that kills zooplankton/salmon lice between seawater and the electric current conducting surface on the devices 20.

The devices can be programmed or be controlled from the control system so that the system can be remotely

controlled with the consideration that electric pulses can be, for given periods, turned off. This is to have a possibility to prevent other species, such as, for

example, lobster larvae not being attracted after hatching and being killed by the system.

It shall be pointed out that the system can also be used without electric pulses, but only with light wavelengths to attract larger species of zooplankton during night time that wander pelagically and who want to feed on smaller species of zooplankton such as copepodite/salmon lice. This makes the system into an environmental solution as a catalyst for attraction of organisms where the large eat the small. Krill, for example, eat copepodites, salmon lice, etc., and an ecosystem can be created without any damage to the environment.

Furthermore, figure 4 shows a variant of the invention where the body 22 is equipped with a water flow stabiliser 40, such as a rotary plate. The aim of the plate 40 is to stabilise the devices 20 in the water 16 so that they do not rotate from the influence of the flow of water and other things. For one thing, twisting of the cable 14 is avoided. The plate 40 can be fastened loosely to either the body 20 or the cable 14 and rotate just like a weather cock. The arrow shows an example of current direction in the water. Figures 5 and 6 show a further variant of the invention where the body 22 comprises a number of cameras 42. The cameras 42 are mounted inside the body 22 and face

outwards toward the openings 42a. The openings 42a can be covered by glass or other transparent material. The cameras 42 can be placed correspondingly to the light openings 26 and catch the activity around the whole of the body 22.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Device (20) to render parasites, such as salmon lice, harmless, comprising a body (22) arranged to be lowered down in water (16), and where the body (22) is equipped with light (24) to attract said parasites,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the body (22) comprises an outer, electric current conducting surface connected to a high voltage module (30) in the body (22), arranged to transmit currency pulses at a voltage that kills or weakens the parasites.

2. Device according to claim 1,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the body (22) has a ball-form or cylinder-form and is arranged to transmit electric current pulses (32) radially.

3. Device according to claim 1,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that a primary voltage is supplied to the body (22) in the form of a low voltage via a cable (14), and that the outer, electric current

conducting surface is arranged to function as an anode in collaboration with the surrounding seawater, when the voltage is below a given value, and that the outer, electric current conducting surface is arranged to

function as a cathode in collaboration with the

surrounding seawater when the voltage is above a given value .

4. Device according to claim 3,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the outer, electric current conducting surface is arranged to function as a cathode in collaboration with the surrounding seawater when the voltage is more than IV.

5. Device according to claim 1,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the body (22) is composed of two half ball-formed parts (22a, 22b) .

6. Device according to claim 1,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that several lights (24) , such as LED lights, are arranged along the circumference of the body (22), where each light (24) is mounted in the light opening (26) .

7. Device according to claims 2 and 6,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the light openings (26) are arranged about the body (22) such that the light emits over 360 degrees in all directions from the ball form and that the light rays (28) from each light opening (26) overlap (28a) each other.

8. Device according to claim 1,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that said light openings (26) have a conical or concave surface.

9. Device according to claim 1,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the light is sent out with a wave length between 450 and 570 nm.

10. Device according to claim 1,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that a water flow

stabiliser (40), such as a rotary plate, is arranged around the body.

11. Device according to claim 1,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that a number of cameras (42) are arranged in the body (22) .

12. System (10) to render parasites, such as salmon lice, harmless, c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that several devices in accordance with one or more of the claims 1-11 are suspended from a number of cables (14) that extend down into the water (16), for formation of a barrier or a fence, and which are arranged to transmit electric current pulses at a voltage that kills or weakens parasites.

13. System according to claim 12,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the electric fence is placed around a farming installation (12) for the farming of marine organisms.

14. System according to claim 12,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the electric fence is placed at selected water flow sides of a farming

installation (12) for farming of marine organisms.

15. System according to claim 12,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the body (22) is connected to an external control unit (50), arranged to receive signals from the cameras (42) in the body (22), and to display images onto a display unit (56) .

16. System according to claim 15,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the control unit (50) is connected to a number of sensors (58) for reading of one or more of: current /voltage , conductivity,

temperature, ocean depth, strength of the light ray, scattering of the light and frequency, in or around the body ( 22 ) .

17. System according to claim 15,

c h a r a c t e r i s e d i n that the control unit (50) is connected to an alarm (54) .