System for anti-biofouling

Abstract

The invention provides an anti-fouling lighting system (1) configured for preventing or reducing biofouling on a fouling surface (1201) of an object (1200), by providing an anti-fouling light (211) via an optical medium (220) to said fouling surface (1201), the anti-fouling lighting (1) system comprising: (a) a lighting module (200) comprising (i) a light source (210) configured to generate an anti-fouling light (211), and (ii) said optical medium (220) configured to receive at least part of the anti-fouling light (211), the optical medium (220) comprising an emission surface (222) configured to provide at least part of said anti-fouling light (211); and (b) a control system (300) configured to control an intensity of the anti-fouling light (211) as function of one or more of (i) a feedback signal related to a biofouling risk and (ii) a timer for time-based varying the intensity of the anti-fouling light (211).

1 . An anti-fouling lighting system comprising:
 a lighting module comprising a light source, wherein the light source is arranged to generate an anti-fouling light; and   a control circuit, wherein the control circuit is arranged to control an intensity of the anti-fouling light as function of a feedback signal related to a biofouling risk,   wherein the anti-fouling light shines upon a surface of an object.   
     
     
         2 . The anti-fouling lighting system according to  claim 1 , wherein parameters are indicative of the biofouling risk, the parameters selected from the group comprising, a velocity of the object, a relative velocity of flow of water at a side of the surface, a water temperature of water at a side of the surface, a loading of the object, a position of the surface relative to a water level at a side of the surface, and a presence of one or more of a fouling organism(s) and a fouling organism nutrient in water at a side of the surface. 
     
     
         3 . The anti-fouling lighting system according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the control circuit comprises a sensor,   wherein the sensor is arranged to sense one or more of the parameters and provide the feedback signal corresponding to the one or more parameters.   
     
     
         4 . The anti-fouling lighting system according to  claim 1 , wherein the control circuit is arranged to control the intensity of the anti-fouling light as a function of a timer. 
     
     
         5 . The anti-fouling lighting system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the anti-fouling light is provided via an optical medium to the surface,   wherein the optical medium is arranged to receive at least part of the anti-fouling light,   wherein the optical medium comprises an emission surface,   wherein the emission surface is arranged to provide at least part of the anti-fouling light.   
     
     
         6 . The anti-fouling lighting system according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the optical medium comprises one or more of a waveguide and an optical fiber   wherein the anti-fouling light comprises one or more of UV-A and UV-C light.   
     
     
         7 . The anti-fouling lighting system according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the optical medium is arranged to distribute at least part of the anti-fouling light through the optical medium,   wherein the optical medium comprises a first medium face, and the emission surface,   wherein the emission surface is arranged to emit at least part of the distributed anti-fouling light in a direction away from the first medium face.   
     
     
         8 . The anti-fouling lighting system according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the control circuit is arranged to control the intensity of the anti-fouling light as function of a feedback of a sensor,   wherein the sensor is arranged to sense one or more of a velocity of a vessel comprising the lighting module, a relative velocity of flow of water at a side of the surface, a water temperature of water at a side of the surface, a loading of a vessel comprising the lighting module, a position of the surface relative to a water level at a side of the surface and a presence of one or more of a fouling organism and a fouling organism nutrient.   
     
     
         9 . The anti-fouling lighting system according to  claim 1 , wherein periods with anti-fouling light are alternated with periods without anti-fouling light. 
     
     
         10 . An object, the object comprising a surface that during use is at least temporarily in contact with water,
 wherein the object comprises the lighting module and the control circuit as defined in  claim 1 ,   wherein the anti-fouling light irradiates at least part of the surface.   
     
     
         11 . The object according to  claim 10 , comprising an element, the element comprising a first element surface,
 wherein the optical medium is arranged to receive at least part of the anti-fouling light,   wherein the optical medium is arranged to distribute at least part of the anti-fouling light through the optical medium,   wherein the optical medium comprising:
 a first medium face directed to the first element surface; and 
 an emission surface, wherein the emissions surface is arranged to emit at least part of the distributed anti-fouling light in a direction away from the first medium face of the optical medium, 
   wherein at least part of the lighting module is arranged to seal at least part of the first element surface with the emission surface,   wherein the emission surface is arranged more remote from the first element surface than the first medium face,   wherein the surface comprises the emission surface.   
     
     
         12 . The object according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the object comprises a vessel, the vessel comprising a hull,   wherein the hull comprises the element,   wherein the first medium face is in physical contact with the first element surface.   
     
     
         13 . The object according to  claim 10 , wherein periods with anti-fouling light are alternated with periods without anti-fouling light. 
     
     
         14 . The object according to  claim 10 , comprising a plurality of lighting modules arranged over at least part of a height of the object,
 wherein the control circuit is arranged to control an intensity of the anti-fouling light as function of a position of the emission surfaces relative to a water at a side of the surface   wherein the lighting module comprises a plurality of light sources,   wherein the control circuit is arranged to control an intensity of the anti-fouling light of a first light source in dependence of the intensity of the anti-fouling light of another light source.   
     
     
         15 . A method of anti-fouling a surface of an object comprising:
 providing a lighting module comprising a light source, wherein the light source is arranged to generate an anti-fouling light;   generating the anti-fouling light as function of a feedback signal related to biofouling risk; and   providing the anti-fouling light to the surface.   
     
     
         16 . A method of anti-fouling according to  claim 15 , wherein the antifouling light is generated as a function of a timer signal for time based varying the intensity of the anti-fouling light. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein parameters are indicative of the biofouling risk, the parameters selected from the group comprising, a velocity of the object, a relative velocity of flow of water at a side of the surface, a water temperature of water at a side of the surface, a loading of the object, a position of the surface relative to a water level at a side of the surface, and a presence of one or more of a fouling organism(s) and a fouling organism nutrient in water at a side of the surface. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 15 , wherein the object is selected from the group consisting of a vessel, a weir, a dam, a stew, a sluice, a fish farming sea cage, and a buoy. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 sensing of the one or more of the parameters; and   providing the feedback signal corresponding to the sensed one or more of the parameters.   
     
     
         20 . A method of providing an anti-fouling lighting system to an object comprising:
 attaching a lighting module to the object, the lighting module comprising a light source, wherein the light source is arranged to generate an anti-fouling light;   wherein the lighting module is arranged to provide the anti-fouling light to a surface of the object,   wherein the lighting module attached to the object.