Aquatic life and debris collection device for a water screen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9567719-B2
Application number	US-201313856247-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 3, 2013
Priority date	Apr 3, 2013
Publication date	Feb 14, 2017
Grant date	Feb 14, 2017

Abstract

A collection device for aquatic life and debris for a traveling water screen. The collection device allows sharing of water provided from a high pressure nozzle while shielding aquatic life from a high pressure spray produced by the high pressure nozzle. The collection device enables separate collection of items exposed to a high pressure spray and items protected from a high pressure spray while reducing water costs. The collection device includes a first compartment for collecting aquatic life collected by a water screen and a second compartment for collecting debris collected by the water screen. A shield dissipates or blocks a high pressure spray directed into the second compartment from entering the first compartment. A filter allows fluid to flow from the second compartment into the first compartment while blocking aquatic life in the first compartment from entering the second compartment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A water screen system for collecting aquatic life and debris, comprising:
a traveling water screen driven by a sprocket at a head portion and including lift elements for collecting aquatic life;
a high pressure spray emitter downstream of the head portion for directing high pressure spray through the water screen to release debris collected by the water screen; and
a collection device downstream of the head portion for aquatic life and debris trapped by a water screen, the collection device comprising
a first compartment positioned to align with a lift element for collecting aquatic life trapped by the water screen;
a second compartment adjacent to the water screen for collecting debris trapped by the water screen, the second compartment exposed to a high pressure spray from the high pressure spray emitter;
a shield for shielding the first compartment from the high pressure spray; and
a mesh filter for allowing fluid flow from the second compartment to the first compartment while preventing aquatic life collected by the first compartment from entering the second compartment.

2. The water screen system of claim 1 , wherein the first compartment comprises a trough and the second compartment comprises a trough.

3. The water screen system of claim 1 , wherein the collection device includes a front wall, a rear wall, a bottom wall and a dividing wall extending from the bottom wall between the front wall and rear wall to define the first compartment and second compartment.

4. A water screen system for collecting aquatic life and debris, comprising:
a traveling water screen driven by a sprocket at a head portion and including lift elements for collecting aquatic life;
a high pressure spray emitter downstream of the head portion for directing high pressure spray through the water screen to release debris collected by the water screen; and
a collection device downstream of the head portion for aquatic life and debris trapped by a water screen, the collection device comprising
a first side wall adjacent to the water screen;
a second side wall;
a bottom wall extending between the first side wall and the second side wall;
a divider extending into a space between the first side wall and the second side wall to define a first compartment and a second compartment, the divider having an upper tip aligned with an inside edge of a lift element; and
a filter in the divider for allowing the passage of fluid through the divider while preventing the flow of aquatic life through the divider, the filter including openings that are less than about 3/32″ to block the passage of aquatic life.

5. The water screen system of claim 4 , wherein the divider includes an upper portion that is substantially impervious to fluid flow and a lower portion comprising the filter.

6. The water screen system of claim 4 , wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are troughs.

7. The water screen system of claim 4 , wherein the filter comprises one of: mesh, a valve, profile bar, a gate, a pipe and perforations in the divider.

8. The water screen system of claim 4 , wherein the divider blocks high pressure spray directed into the second compartment from entering the first compartment.

9. The water screen system of claim 4 , further comprising a shield for blocking high pressure spray directed into the second compartment from entering the first compartment.

10. A water screen system for collecting aquatic life and debris, comprising:
a traveling water screen driven by a sprocket at a head portion and including lift elements for collecting aquatic life;
a high pressure spray emitter downstream of the head portion for directing high pressure spray through the water screen to release debris collected by the water screen; and
a collection device downstream of the head portion for aquatic life and debris trapped by a water screen, the collection device comprising
a first compartment for receiving aquatic life trapped by the water screen;
a second compartment adjacent to the first compartment for receiving debris trapped by the water screen; and
a divider separating the first compartment from the second compartment, the divider comprising a wall including a plurality of openings for placing the first compartment in fluid communication with the second compartment while blocking the passage of aquatic life.

11. The water screen system of claim 10 , wherein the openings are formed in a mesh that allows the flow of fluid from the second compartment into the first compartment and blocks the passage of aquatic life from the first compartment into the second compartment.

12. A water screen system, comprising:
a traveling water screen including lift elements;
a high pressure nozzle for applying a high pressure fluid spray to the water screen to release debris from the water screen; and
a collection device for collecting aquatic life and debris collected by the water screen, the collection device comprising a first compartment for collecting aquatic life from the lift elements, a second compartment for collecting debris from the water screen released by the high pressure fluid spray, and a filter that is impervious to solids greater than about 3/32″ for allowing fluid flow from the second compartment to the first compartment while preventing aquatic life from entering the second compartment from the first compartment.

13. The water screen system of claim 12 , wherein the high pressure nozzle is located within the water screen and the collection device is located outside the water screen.

14. The water screen system of claim 12 , wherein the collection device is located within the water screen.

Assignees

• Laitram Llc

Inventors

• Doyle Ross
• Woodrow Timothy A
• Pansano Jr Mitchell G
• Hawkins Jr John C

Classifications

• E02B1/006 Primary

  Arresting, diverting or chasing away fish in water-courses or water intake ducts, seas or lakes, e.g. fish barrages, deterrent devices (E02B8/085 takes precedence); Devices for cleaning fish barriers · CPC title

• E02B8/026

  Cleaning devices (for fish barrages E02B1/006) · CPC title