Patent Publication Number: US-2022213660-A1

Title: Algae collection device using escalator-type lift

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is the national phase of PCT Application No. PCT/KR2020/006831 filed on May 27, 2020, which in turn claims priority to Korean Application No. 10-2019-0062026 filed on May 27, 2019, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Technical Field 
     The present disclosure relates to an algae collection apparatus, in particular, to an algae collection apparatus using an automatic escalator-type lift equipped with a screen having a level state. 
     Description of Related Art 
     Algae are lower cryptogam and multiply using spores in water and perform anabolism using chlorophyll. The algae may multiply greatly depending on conditions such as temperature. This threatens survival of other aquatic organisms due to decrease in oxygen saturation in water. Therefore, many methods for removing the algae have been developed and used. Currently, schemes for algae removal are largely divided into air-based flotation, pollutant inflow restriction, clay spraying, hydration fence, aquatic life-based method, chemical treatment, and low soil treatment (dredging). The algae removal using the air-based flotation generally involves floating the algae using air bubbles and then collecting the algae with a scraper or conveyor. However, this conventional algae collection scheme has a problem in that the algae collection efficiency is not high. 
     SUMMARY 
     A purpose of the present disclosure is to provide an algae collection apparatus with high algae collection efficiency. 
     Purposes of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned purpose. Other purposes and advantages of the present disclosure that are not mentioned above may be understood based on following descriptions, and will be more clearly understood with reference to embodiments of the present disclosure. Further, it will be readily apparent that the purposes and advantages of the present disclosure may be realized using means and combinations thereof indicated in the Claims. 
     The present disclosure provides an algae collection apparatus using an automatic escalator-type lift, wherein the apparatus has one end located in water and an opposite end located above a water surface and is configured to collect floating matter including algae on a water surface, wherein the apparatus includes: a plurality of lifts connected to each other in an escalator manner, wherein each lift includes: a screen for lifting up the floating matter from the water surface into a space above the surface; a guide for supporting an edge of the screen; and a riser for levelling the screen using elasticity; a chain for moving the plurality of lifts; and a driver for driving the plurality of lifts via the chain. 
     The apparatus may further include an algae collector disposed at the opposite end for pushing the floating matter out of the lift. 
     The algae collector may include a roll-type brush. 
     The algae collection apparatus may further include: a compressor for generating compressed air; and a compressed air ejection nozzle for ejecting the compressed air generated from the compressor onto the lift disposed at the opposite end. 
     The algae collection apparatus using the automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure may collect the algae using the automatic escalator-type lift with the screen having a level state while the algae does not fall down. 
     Further, the algae collection apparatus using the automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure may effectively collect the transferred algae from the automatic escalator-type lift using the compressed air generated by the compressor. 
     The above-described effects, and specific effects of the present disclosure as not mentioned above will be described based on specific details for carrying out the disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a conceptual diagram of an algae collection apparatus using an automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of an automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an algae collector in an algae collection apparatus using an automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view for illustrating a compressed air ejection nozzle in an algae collection apparatus using an automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view for illustrating a modified example of a compressed air ejection nozzle in an algae collection apparatus using an automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view for illustrating another modified example of a compressed air ejection nozzle in an algae collection apparatus using an automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The above objects, features and advantages will be described in detail later with reference to the accompanying drawings. Accordingly, a person with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs will be able to easily implement the technical idea of the present disclosure. In describing the present disclosure, when it is determined that a detailed description of a known component related to the present disclosure may unnecessarily obscure gist the present disclosure, the detailed description is omitted. Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment according to the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to indicate the same or similar elements. 
       FIG. 1  is a conceptual diagram of an algae collection apparatus using an automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure. 
     An algae collection apparatus  100  using an automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure includes an automatic escalator-type lift  100  that transports algae floating on a water surface, a belt  200  for driving the automatic escalator-type lift  100 , a driver  300  for driving a chain  120 , and an algae collector  400  for collecting the algae from the automatic escalator-type lift  100  in a pushing manner, as shown in  FIG. 1  Further, although not shown, the apparatus according to the present disclosure may further include an algae collection box for collecting and accommodating the transferred algae from the automatic escalator-type lift  100 . 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic perspective view of an automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure. 
     The automatic escalator-type lift  100  transports the algae in water to a surface of the water. For this purpose, the automatic escalator-type lift  100  includes a lift  110  including a screen  111  that directly lifts the algae, a guide  112  that supports an edge of the screen  111 , and a riser  113  that maintains an angle of the screen  111 , and a chain  120  that moves the lift  110 . 
     The lift  110  refers to a minimum unit constituting the automatic escalator-type lift  100  according to the present disclosure. The apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a plurality of lifts  110  which are arranged in an escalator manner, and the chain  120  which moves the lifts  110  such that the lifts  110  operates as an escalator. The screen  111  as the element constituting the lift  110  has a form of a mesh. A portion of the water contained in the algae raised up to the water surface and water raised up together with the algae are discharged downward through the screen. The screen  111  in the mesh form may be deformed due to a weight of the algae. Therefore, according to the present disclosure, the deformation of the screen  111  may be prevented by providing the guide  112  that surrounds the edge of the screen  111 . In another example, the screen  111  has a sufficient rigidity such that the guide  112  may be omitted. The screen  111  and the guide  112  may be removably coupled to each other via fastening bolts, etc. The riser  113  maintains an angle of the screen  111  whose the edge is surrounded with the guide  112 . In accordance with the present disclosure, the screen  111  should be kept to have a level state. That is, when the screen  111  is not kept to have the level state, it is difficult to effectively collect the algae. Therefore, according to the present disclosure, the riser  113  levels the screen  111  using elasticity. For this purpose, the riser  113  may be embodied as a thin plate spring. Thus, when downward pressure is applied to the screen  111 , the screen  111  is kept to have the level state. In another example, a considerable pressure is applied to the screen  111  such that the screen  111  is damaged. Thus, the riser  113  may be flexible to prevent the screen  111  from being damaged 
     The belt  200  receives power from the driver  300  to operate the automatic escalator-type lift  100 . The belt  200  may use a general rubber belt  200  or a chain  120 . However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. Gear type transmission means may be used instead of the belt  200 . 
     The driver  300  is connected to the belt  200  to rotate the belt  200 . This driver  300  may include an electric motor operated by electricity or an engine operated by fuel. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an algae collector in an algae collection apparatus using an automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure. 
     The algae collector  400  collects the transferred algae from the automatic escalator-type lift  100 . This algae collector  400  is embodied as a roll-shaped brush. Accordingly, the algae collector  400  is configured so that a brush is in contact with the automatic escalator-type lift  100  and hooks and sweeps down the transferred algae from the automatic escalator-type lift  100  by rotation. In another example, the brush is shortened due to wear, etc., and thus a spacing between the brush and the automatic escalator-type lift  100  may be reduced. When the brush is replaced with a new brush, a spacing between the algae collector  400  and the automatic escalator-type lift  100  is increased. To this end, a spacing between the automatic escalator-type lift  100  and the collector  400  is adjustable. 
     As described above, the apparatus according to the present disclosure may collect the algae using the automatic escalator-type lift with the screen having a level state while the algae does not fall down. 
     In one example, this embodiment exemplifies that the algae collector  400  includes the roll-type brush. The present disclosure is not limited thereto. In one example, the algae may be collected using a compressor that generates compressed air and an ejector which ejects the compressed air generated by the compressor to the automatic escalator-type lift  100 . 
       FIG. 4  is a plan view for illustrating a compressed air ejection nozzle in an algae collection apparatus using an automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure. 
     A compressed air ejection nozzle  400  ejects the compressed air supplied from the compressor to the algae which is being transported on the automatic escalator-type lift  100 . A plurality of compressed air ejection nozzles  400  may be provided. In this case, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the plurality of compressed air ejection nozzles  400  may be arranged in a line and on the automatic escalator-type lift  100  may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined spacing. Accordingly, the transported algae on the automatic escalator-type lift  100  is pushed up and collected by the compressed air ejected from the plurality of compressed air ejection nozzles  400  into the algae collection box. 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view for illustrating a modified example of the compressed air ejection nozzle in the algae collection apparatus using an automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure. 
     In one example, the compressed air ejection nozzles  400  according to the present disclosure may be arranged in a line and on the automatic escalator-type lift  100  may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined spacing. A plurality of compressed air ejection nozzles  400  spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance and arranged in one line constitute one compressed air ejection nozzle group. A plurality of the compressed air ejection nozzle groups are arranged. As shown in  FIG. 5 , a first compressed air ejection nozzle group H 1 , and a second compressed air ejection nozzle group H 2  may be arranged and may be spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. In another example, two or more compressed air ejection nozzle groups may be arranged. 
     A compressed air ejection force of the first compressed air ejection nozzle group H 1  is the greatest, and the compressed air ejection force of the second compressed air ejection nozzle group H 2  is the second greatest, the compressed air ejection force of a third compressed air ejection nozzle group H 2  is the third greatest, and so on. This is because when the strongest compressed air is first ejected to the algae, the algae are scattered. In accordance with the present disclosure, the compressed air is first ejected at a weak ejection force toward the algae such that the algae are displaced little by little toward the algae collection box, and then the compressed air is ejected at strong ejection force toward the algae such that the algae is finally received in the algae collection box. 
       FIG. 6  is a plan view for illustrating another modified example of the compressed air ejection nozzle in the algae collection apparatus using an automatic escalator-type lift according to the present disclosure. 
     In the above-described embodiment, all of the compressed air ejection directions of the compressed air ejection nozzles  400  are the same as a rotational direction of the automatic escalator-type lift  100 . However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. That is, as shown in  FIG. 6 , a compressed air ejection from the compressed air ejection nozzle  400  located at an edge of the lift  110  in the automatic escalator-type lift  100  is directed inwardly of the lift  110  in the automatic escalator-type lift  100 . In this case, the algae located at the edge of the automatic escalator-type lift  100  may move toward a center of the automatic escalator-type lift  100 , thereby preventing the algae from escaping from the edge of the automatic escalator-type lift  100 . In another example, the compressed air ejection direction of the compressed air ejection nozzle  400  located at the edge of the lift as well as the compressed air ejection direction of the compressed air ejection nozzle  400  located at an inner region of the lift may be adjusted. For example, as a position of the compressed air ejection nozzle  400  changes from a center of the automatic escalator-type lift  100  to an edge thereof, the ejection direction of the compressed air ejection nozzle  400  may be gradually inclined toward a center of the automatic escalator-type lift  100 . Moreover, the compressed air ejection nozzle  400  located at the edge of the automatic escalator-type lift  100  may be located closer to a bottom of the automatic escalator-type lift  100  in the plan view ( FIG. 6 ) than the compressed air ejection nozzle  400  located at a non-edge position of the automatic escalator-type lift  100  may be. Thus, the compressed air ejected from the compressed air ejection nozzle  400  located at the edge of the automatic escalator-type lift  100  first reaches the algae transported on the automatic escalator-type lift  100 . 
     As described above, the apparatus according to the present disclosure may effectively collect the algae transferred on the automatic escalator-type lift using the compressed air generated by the compressor into the algae collection box. 
     As described above, the present disclosure has been described with reference to the illustrated drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments and drawings disclosed in the present specification. It is evident that various modifications may be made to the disclosure by those of ordinary skill in the art and within the scope of the technical idea of the present disclosure. In addition, although an effect of a configuration of the present disclosure has not been explicitly described above while illustrating the embodiments of the present disclosure, it is natural that an effect predictable from the configuration should also be appreciated.