Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. provisional application No. 61/064,322 filed Feb. 28, 2008, the entire disclosure of which is herein expressly incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to a method and apparatus for raising lower cooler nutrient rich ocean water to mix with warmer nutrient poor ocean water to facilitate cooling of upper ocean water and phytoplankton growth. 
         [0003]    It has long been known that deep waters of the earth&#39;s oceans are rich in nutrients. These include nitrate and phosphate, the result of decomposition of sinking organic matter (dead/detrital plankton) from surface waters. These deep water nutrients are located below the zone where sunlight can reach (below the “euphotic zone”) and photosynthesis cannot take place. As a consequence, these nutrients are normally unavailable to sea life which utilizes photosynthesis to thrive. The euphotic zone is that upper layer of water within which there is sufficient sunlight to support sea life processes. The sub-euphotic zone is the zone below the euphotic zone within which there is contained the nutrient substances, both organic and inorganic, for the growth and flourishing of sea life. When brought to the euphotic zone, these nutrients are utilized by phytoplankton, along with dissolved CO2 (carbon dioxide) and light energy from the sun, to produce organic compounds, through the process of photosynthesis. 
         [0004]    Up-welling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves upward motion of dense, cooler, and usually nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface, replacing the warmer, usually nutrient-depleted surface water. The up-welling waters are usually rich in the dissolved nutrients (e.g., nitrogen and phosphate compounds) required for phytoplankton growth. This nutrient transport into the surface waters where sunlight is present (in the euphotic zone) is also required for phytoplankton growth. The combination of nutrient rich water from the depths and sunlight in the euphotic zone results in rapid growth of phytoplankton populations. Phytoplankton forms the base of marine food webs (or food chains). 
         [0005]    Most up-welling areas are closely related to human fishing activities as natural up-welling supports some of the most productive fisheries in the world, including small species such as sardines, anchovies, etc. Natural up-welling regions therefore result in very high levels of primary production (the amount of carbon fixed by phytoplankton) in comparison to other areas of the ocean. High primary production propagates up the food chain because phytoplankton are at the base of the oceanic food chain. Up-welling fuels algae and shrimp like krill populations that feed small fish, which provide an important food source for a variety of sea life, from salmon to sea birds and marine mammals. And without up-welling, high-fat plankton such as krill stay at lower depths. The world&#39;s most productive fisheries are located in areas of coastal up-welling that bring cold nutrient rich waters to the surface (especially in the eastern boundary regions of the subtropics). About half the world&#39;s total fish catch comes from up-welling zones. 
         [0006]    The food chain follows the course of: 
         [0000]      Phytoplankton--&gt;Zooplankton--&gt;Predatory zooplankton--&gt;Filter feeders--&gt;Predatory fish 
         [0007]    Ocean water up-welling occurs naturally. For example, in some coastal areas of the ocean (and large lakes such as the North American Great Lakes), the combination of persistent winds, Earth&#39;s rotation (the Coriolis effect), and restrictions on lateral movements of water caused by shorelines and shallow bottoms induces upward and downward water movements. The Coriolis effect plus the frictional coupling of wind and water (Ekman transport) cause net movement of surface water at about 90 degrees to the right of the wind direction in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left of the wind direction in the Southern Hemisphere. Coastal up-welling occurs where Ekman transport moves surface waters away from the coast; surface waters are replaced by water that wells up from below. 
         [0008]    Up-welling is most common along the west coast of continents (eastern sides of ocean basins). In the Northern Hemisphere, up-welling occurs along west coasts (e.g., coasts of California, Northwest Africa) when winds blow from the north (causing Ekman transport of surface water away from the shore). Winds blowing from the south cause up-welling along continents&#39; eastern coasts in the Northern Hemisphere, although it is not as noticeable because of the western boundary currents. Up-welling also occurs along the west coasts in the Southern Hemisphere (e.g., coasts of Chile, Peru, and southwest Africa) when the wind direction is from the south because the net transport of surface water is westward away from the shoreline. Winds blowing from the north cause up-welling along the continents&#39; eastern coasts in the Southern Hemisphere. Regions of natural up-welling include coastal Peru, Chile, Arabian Sea, western South Africa, eastern New Zealand, southeastern Brazil and the California coast. 
         [0009]    Up-welling (and down-welling) also occur in the open ocean where winds cause surface waters to diverge from a region (causing up-welling) or to converge toward some region (causing down-welling). For example, up-welling takes place along much of the equator. The deflection due to the Coriolis effect reverses direction on either side of the equator. Hence, westward-flowing, wind-driven surface currents near the equator turn northward on the north side of the equator and southward on the south side. Surface waters are moved away from the equator and replaced by up-welling waters. 
         [0010]    Up-welling of ocean water also influences sea-surface temperature. Up-welling waters which originate below the euphotic zone are colder than the surface waters they replace. Coastal up-welling and down-welling also influence weather and climate. Along the northern and central California coast, up-welling lowers sea surface temperatures and increases the frequency of summer fogs. Relatively cold surface waters chill the overlying humid marine air to saturation so that thick fog develops. Up-welling cold water inhibits formation of tropical cyclones (e.g., hurricanes), because tropical cyclones derive their energy from warm surface waters. During El Niño and La Niña, changes in sea-surface temperature patterns associated with warm and cold-water up-welling off the northwest coast of South America and along the equator in the tropical Pacific affect the inter-annual distribution of precipitation around the globe. 
         [0011]    Scientists suspect that rising ocean temperatures and dwindling plankton populations are behind a growing number of seabird deaths, reports of fewer salmon and other anomalies along the West Coast. Coastal ocean temperatures are 2 to 5 degrees above normal, which is believed to be caused by a lack of natural up-welling. 
         [0012]    Apart from their role in food productivity up the food chain, scientists also understand the role of the ocean&#39;s plants in removing carbon from the atmosphere. Tiny ocean plants that grow at the ocean&#39;s surface—phytoplankton—soak up more carbon dioxide than anything else on Earth, including dense tropical forests. Since ocean plants remove so much of the greenhouse gas from the atmosphere, they play an important role in mitigating global warming. 
         [0013]    However, the normal tides, wind forces and currents are surface oriented and move horizontally or circumferentially over the earth, with but few geological inducements to create vertical currents that transfer waters from the depths. Natural up-welling has only a limited effect in displacement of the euphotic region waters with sub euphotic water, and vertical up-welling mass movement of waters as a result of natural effects is limited. 
         [0014]    In light of the foregoing advantages resulting from the up-welling of sea water, and the limited effect of natural up-welling, there is a need for a method and apparatus which passively raises sea water and associated nutrients from ocean depths below the euphotic zone into the euphotic zone. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0015]    In an embodiment of the invention a method for utilising the current in a large body of water, including an ocean to raise water from a lower region of the body of water, containing colder more nutrient rich water, to an upper region of the body of water, containing warmer less nutrient rich water is provided, comprising the steps of:
       (a) submersing a conduit into the body of water, the conduit including a lower end having a lower opening and an upper end having an upper opening, such that the lower opening is in the lower region and the upper opening is in the upper region;   (b) anchoring the lower opening in place against movement by the current;   (c) maintaining the upper opening downstream from the lower opening so that the conduit is angled from the vertical in a direction downstream from the lower opening wherein the conduit defines a plane oriented parallel with the current and the lower opening defines a plane oriented perpendicular with the current;   (d) utilising the current to direct the water into the lower opening to flow upwards through the conduit and out the upper opening.       
 
         [0020]    As an alternative the maintaining at step (c) above may be undertaken by utilising the current to maintain the upper opening in the position described in step (c). 
         [0021]    As a further alternative, prior to step (a) above:
       (a) selecting a location of the body of water where the current at an upper region at the selected location is greater than the current at the lower region of the selected location;   (b) determining the distance between the upper region and the lower region;   (c) selecting a conduit of appropriate length such that when submersed in accordance with steps (a), (b) and (c) above, the lower end is at or near the lower region at the selected location and the upper end is at or near the upper region at the selected location.       
 
         [0025]    As a further alternative the selected location is selected based on their being sufficient difference in current at the upper region as compared to the lower region to facilitate the flow of water in the conduit from the lower opening to, and out of, the upper opening. 
         [0026]    In an alternate embodiment of the invention a passive current deflector for raising water and embedded nutrients from a lower region of a large body of water, including an ocean, having a current, the deflector comprising:
       (a) a conduit suitable for submersing into the body of water, the conduit including a lower end having a lower opening and an upper end having an upper opening;   (b) an anchor connected to the lower end for maintaining the lower opening in place against movement by the current;   (c) means for maintaining the upper opening downstream from the lower opening so that in use the conduit is angled from the vertical in a direction downstream from the lower opening and wherein the conduit defines a plane aligned with the current so that the lower opening is aligned with the current;
 
wherein, due to the position of the conduit in use, the current directs water into the lower opening causing it to flow upwards through the conduit and out the upper opening.
       
 
         [0030]    The deflector can include vanes extending outwardly form the lower opening responsive to the current flow to urge the periphery of the opening outwardly to maintain the shape of the opening. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0031]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the passive ocean current deflector of an embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0032]      FIG. 2  is a side plan view of the passive ocean current deflector of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 3  is a close up side view of the lower opening of the passive ocean current deflector of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 4A  is a close up side view of the upper opening of the passive ocean current deflector of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0035]      FIG. 4B  is a close up lateral view looking into the upper opening of the passive ocean current deflector of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 5  is a close up lateral view looking into the lower opening of the passive ocean current deflector of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0037]      FIG. 6  is a close up side inside view of a paravane of the lower opening of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0038]      FIG. 7  is a close up side outside view of the paravane of the lower opening of  FIG. 5 ; and 
           [0039]      FIG. 8  is a close up top view of the paravane of the lower opening of  FIG. 5 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0040]    Referring initially to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , passive current deflector  12  for raising water and embedded nutrients from a lower region of a large body of water, including an ocean, having a current, is shown. Deflector  12  is submerged in a suitable location in ocean  14  positioned between the ocean surface  16  and the ocean seabed  18 . 
         [0041]    Deflector  12  includes a longitudinal body  20  having lower end  22  with a lower opening  24  at one end and an upper end  26  and upper opening  28  at its upper end. Body  20  forms a conduit  30  through which ocean water may pass. Body  20  is also tapered with a larger cross-sectional area adjacent end  22  tapering to a smaller cross-sectional area as one moves toward upper end  26 . Thereby, conduit  30  is larger at lower end  22  as compared to upper end  26 . 
         [0042]    Preferably body  20  is made from an impervious synthetic woven fabric of at least 420 denier. Also further preferably lower end  22  is elliptical in shape with a horizontal diameter of about 50 metres and a vertical diameter of about 70 metres. It is also preferred that the upper opening  26  be circular with a diameter of about 30 metres. Alternatively, the cross-sectional area of lower opening  22  is preferably between 1.5 to 2 times as large as the cross-sectional area of upper opening  26 . 
         [0043]    As seen best in  FIG. 2 , openings  22  and  26  define respective planes at about a 45 degree angle in relation to the sides of body  20 . 
         [0044]    Anchor  36  is secured to the ocean seabed  18  in a manner which prevents movement of anchor  36  in relation to seabed  18 . Anchor line  38  connects anchor  36  to body  20 , described in more detail below. Anchor  36  may consist of two 1000 kg spade type anchors separated by a ten metre length of 1¼ inch open link iron chain. Another ten metre length of chain will attach the down stream anchor to the anchor line. The connections between anchors and chain is by 1½ inch rated shackles. The anchor line  38  is made of synthetic fibre rope. It will be attached to the anchor chain by soft splice. Some options are Super Dan-line, Polysteel, and Sea Steel. They will be three strand and have a diameter of between 2 and 2½ inches. Anchor line  38  is continuous to an attachment point adjacent upper end  26  where it is attached to a one inch stainless steel wire cable of 10 metres in length, identified as the buoy line  42 , that attaches to the compensator buoy  40 . 
         [0045]    Compensator buoy  40  floats on ocean surface  16 . Buoy  40  is connected to body  20  by means of buoy line  42 . Buoy  40  includes a solar powered lamp combination  44  to warn shipping of the location of a deflector  2  when submerged in ocean  14 . GPS transponder  46  is also positioned on buoy  40  to ensure that the location of deflector  12  in ocean  14  can be determined at all times by satellite. Buoy  40  is made of ¼ inch mild steel plate, sandblasted and painted. It has a displacement sufficient to maintain upper opening  28  close to surface  16 . 
         [0046]    Preferably, deflector  12  is positioned in ocean  14  at an ocean location wherein lower ocean current  32  is less than upper ocean current  34 . For example, deflector  12  may be placed where lower ocean current  32  is about two knots and upper ocean current  34  is about four knots. As best seen in  FIG. 2 , because anchor  36  is fixed in place on seabed  18  and buoy  40  is free to move with ocean current  34 , deflector  12  is forced into an angled position, angled from the vertical by about 45 degrees, in the embodiment depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . When angled in that manner, lower end  22  and lower opening  24  define a plane which is generally vertical in orientation. Similarly, when deflector  12  is so oriented in ocean  14 , upper end  26  and upper opening  28  form a plane which is also generally vertical in orientation. 
         [0047]    Body  20  includes several rib lines  48  generally at every 30 degrees of arc about body  20 . Rib lines  48  extend from lower end  22  to upper end  26  and are continually attached to the conduit  30 . 
         [0048]    As seen best in  FIGS. 3 and 5 , a plurality of minute lines  50  are positioned about opening  24  along lower end  22  in groups of nine converging to apex  52 . Apex  52  is attached to convergence line  54  which converge at anchor apex  56 . Each minute line  50  is positioned about opening  24  at approximately every three degrees of arc. Between each rib line  48 , at every approximately three degrees of arc, a minute line  50  is attached to the frame line. They converge to a single point about half way from the body  20  to the point of intersection on anchor line  38  where the rib lines  48  are connected. A single line connecting nine minute lines  50  (each at approximately three degrees of arc) runs from the connection to the point of intersection of the rib lines  48 , referred to as the convergence line  54 . These lines are connected to the anchor line  38  along with the rib lines  48  at apex  56 . Minute lines  50  are of ¼ inch diameter, synthetic fibre rope. 
         [0049]    Anchor line  38  is attached along the entire length of conduit  30 . It forms a continuous line from anchor  36  at its lower end to the lower end of buoy line  42  at its upper end, thereby supporting the body  20 . Deep Trawl Floats  60  are attached to the anchor line  38  about every 10 metres to maintain body  20  in an upright position, with anchor line  38  at the top of body  20 . 
         [0050]    Body  20  further includes lead line  62  positioned opposite to anchor line  38 . Lead line  62  is weighted sufficiently to almost neutralize the buoyancy force of floats  60  thereby stabilizing body  20  when submerged and maintaining lead line  62  separate from anchor line  38  thereby maintaining conduit  30  within body  20  in the upright position. 
         [0051]    Lower end  22  also includes circumferential frame  64  of generally more rigid material as compared to body  20 . Frame  64  may be formed by folding back material from body  20  thereby doubling that material to form a more rigid frame  64 . Minute lines  50  are all attached to frame  64  about the circumference of opening  24 . 
         [0052]    Referring to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , upper end  26  is depicted with opening  28 . Anchor line  38  is shown connected at 10 metre intervals continuously along body  20 . Lead line  62  is positioned on the opposite side of body  20  from anchor line  38 . Opening  28  is surrounded by upper circumferential frame  66  to which lines  38 ,  48  and  62  are attached. Frame  66  generally maintains opening  28  in a circular or elliptical orientation assisted by the buoyancy of floats  60  acting on anchor line  38  and the weight of lead line  62  acting against that buoyancy. This is further assisted by the pressure differential between the inside of conduit  30  and the outer ocean  14 . 
         [0053]    Referring initially to  FIGS. 3 and 5 , a plurality of paravanes  68  are positioned about the circumference of frame  64 . 
         [0054]      FIGS. 6 ,  7  and  8  depict close-up views of one paravane  68 . Paravane  68  are pivotally attached to frame  64 . Paravane  68  are generally straight and follow the contour of frame  64  at the inner end. Outer periphery of paravane  68  is generally curved with an apex  70 . 
         [0055]    Paravane line  72  is connected to paravane  68  adjacent apex  70  at one end and to a rib line  48  at the other end. Paravane line  72  generally maintains paravane  68  in an angled orientation extending outwardly from frame  64  and also angled generally toward anchor  36  in relation to the plane defined by frame  64 . Ocean current flow  32  pushes against paravane  68  which maintains paravane  68  in that angled position held in place by paravane lines  72 . Thereby ocean currents flowing in the direction of arrow  74  provide a current force against each paravane  68  of the plurality about frame  64  thereby maintaining opening  24  in a generally elliptical orientation as depicted in  FIG. 5 . 
         [0056]    As depicted in  FIG. 8 , preventor web  76  is attached to minute lines  50 , rib lines  48  and circumferential frame  64 . Preventor web  76  consists of interlocking and crossed lines forming a plurality of openings, similar in orientation as with a fishing web. Preventor web  76  prevents fouling of paravanes  68  with lines  48  and  50 . 
         [0057]    When in use deflector  12  is placed in ocean  14  in the manner depicted in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Anchored to the seabed  18  by anchor  36  at a lower end, which is positioned below the euphotic zone, and attached to a free-floating buoy at the other. Ocean currents  34  near the upper end  26  push buoy in a downstream direction to orient deflector  12  at an angle that is preferably about 45 degree. Ocean water driven by lower ocean currents  32  are forced into opening  24  to travel upwardly through conduit  30  and out upper opening  26  into the upper ocean water which is in the euphotic zone. Cooler water rich in nutrients is thereby brought into the euphotic zone where sunlight is available to permit photosynthesis by sea life which feeds on those nutrients. 
         [0058]    While this invention has been described as a having a preferred embodiment, it is understood that it is capable of further modifications, uses and/or adaptations of the invention following in general the principle of the invention and including such departures from the present disclosure has come within the known or customary practice in the art to which the invention pertains and as may be applied to the central features herein before set forth, and fall within the scope of the invention and of the limits of the appended claims. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention is addressed, the present invention may be embodied in forms other than those specifically disclosed above, without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the invention. The particular embodiments of the invention described above and the particular details of the processes described are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative or exemplary only and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is as set forth in the complete disclosure rather than being limited to the examples set forth in the foregoing description.

Technology Category: 0