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US 10,060,559 B2Granted
Underwater utility line
OwnerMitchell Faitinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An underwater utility line, and associated systems and methods are disclosed. The underwater utility line can include an adjustably buoyant tube. The underwater utility line can also include a transmission line to transfer energy disposed in an interior of the adjustably buoyant tube. The underwater utility line can further include a gas source and a controller to control the gas provided by the gas source to alter the buoyancy of the adjustably buoyant tube.
Claims34
An underwater utility line, comprising:
- an adjustably buoyant tube;
- a transmission line to transfer energy disposed in an interior of the adjustably buoyant tube;
- a gas source fluidly coupled to the interior of the adjustably buoyant tube to provide gas thereto;
- a controller to control the gas provided by the gas source to alter the buoyancy of the adjustably buoyant tube;
- a gas injection valve in fluid communication with the gas source;
- a gas expulsion check valve associated with a wall of the adjustably buoyant tube;
- and
- an electrical line to power the gas injection valve and the gas expulsion check valve,
- wherein the controller communicates with and controls the gas injection valve and gas expulsion check valve, and
- wherein the gas injection valve selectively introduces gas into the adjustably buoyant tube and the gas expulsion valve selectively evacuates gas from the adjustably buoyant tube to adjust the buoyancy of the tube.
7 more elements
An underwater utility system, comprising:
- an underwater utility line including:
- an adjustably buoyant tube,
- a transmission line within an interior of the adjustably buoyant tube, and
- a controller to control the buoyancy of the adjustably buoyant tube;
- a feed line having a helical configuration;
- and
- a buoy coupled to the underwater utility line via the feed line.
4 more elements
A method for transferring energy through a body of water, comprising:
- connecting an underwater utility line to an energy source and an energy destination, the underwater utility line having an adjustably buoyant tube, and a transmission line to transfer energy disposed in an interior of the adjustably buoyant tube;
- providing gas to the adjustably buoyant tube;
- controlling the gas provided by the gas source to alter the buoyancy of the adjustably buoyant tube;
- and
- connecting the underwater utility line to a buoy via a feed line with a helical configuration.
2 more elements
An underwater utility line, comprising:
- an adjustably buoyant tube;
- a transmission line to transfer energy disposed in an interior of the adjustably buoyant tube;
- a gas source;
- a controller to control the gas provided by the gas source to alter the buoyancy of the adjustably buoyant tube;
- and
- a second adjustably buoyant tube disposed within the adjustably buoyant tube, wherein the transmission line is disposed within the second adjustably buoyant tube and the gas source is fluidly coupled to a space between the adjustably buoyant tube and the second adjustably buoyant tube.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.