Hybrid pressure vessel
AssigneeOceaneering International, Inc.
InventorVilmar da Silva do Vale
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The disclosed invention comprises one or more hybrid metal-composite pressure vessels e.g., 1 (FIG. 1) or 100,200 (FIG. 2), designed for deep water application of radiation sensitive equipment, where the hybrid pressure vessels comprise a combination of metals and non-metals. A source of radiation may be disposed in one of the two hybrid metal-composite pressure vessels and a radiation detector disposes in the other hybrid metal-composite pressure vessel. A radiation beam is less attenuated as it passes through the non-metal parts of the hybrid pressure vessels and the intensity of the radiation reaching a radiation detector is higher than if it were to pass through the metal parts of the housings.
Claims16
A hybrid metal-composite pressure vessel, comprising:
- a. an enclosed housing, comprising:
- i. a first pressure resistant portion of the enclosed housing comprising a metal and a density sufficient to provide pressure resistance to a first predetermined pressure level, the first pressure resistant portion of the enclosed housing configured to maintain an internal pressure at or below a second predetermined pressure level;
- and
- ii. a remaining portion of the enclosed housing comprising a non-metal configured to provide a predetermined level of transparency to radiation in a predetermined bandwidth;
- b. an occlusive interface disposed between the first pressure resistant portion and the remaining portion;
- and
- c. an internal radiation component disposed within the housing and oriented to either emit or detect radiation through the occlusive interface.
A radiation system, comprising:
- a. a first hybrid metal-composite pressure vessel designed for deep water application of radiation sensitive equipment, comprising:
- i. a first enclosed housing, comprising:
- 1. a first pressure resistant portion of the first enclosed housing comprising a metal and a density sufficient to provide pressure resistance to a first predetermined pressure level, the first pressure resistant portion of the first enclosed housing configured to maintain an internal pressure at or below a second predetermined pressure level;
- 2. a remaining portion of the first enclosed housing comprising a non-metal configured to provide a predetermined level of transparency to radiation in a predetermined bandwidth;
- 3. an occlusive interface disposed between the first pressure resistant portion and the remaining portion;
- and
- ii. a source of radiation disposed within the first enclosed housing comprising a radiation beam emitter exposed to the remaining portion;
- and
- b. a second hybrid metal-composite pressure vessel designed for deep water application of radiation sensitive equipment, comprising:
- i. a second enclosed housing, comprising:
- 1. a first pressure resistant portion of the second enclosed housing comprising a metal and a density sufficient to provide pressure resistance to a first predetermined pressure level, the first pressure resistant portion of the enclosed housing configured to maintain an internal pressure at or below a second predetermined pressure level;
- 2. a remaining portion of the second enclosed housing comprising a non-metal configured to provide a predetermined level of transparency to radiation in the predetermined bandwidth;
- 3. an occlusive interface disposed between the first pressure resistant portion and the remaining portion;
- and
- ii. a radiation detector disposed within the second enclosed housing, the radiation detector comprising a radiation beam detector exposed to the remaining portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.