# US 12,768,257 B2 · Subsea composite vessel

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- Number: US 12,768,257 B2
- Document ID: US12768257B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 18/031,327
- Filed: 2020-12-16
- Published: 2023-11-23
- Granted: 2026-10-20
- Earliest claimed: 2020-10-15
- Applicants: FMC Technologies Do Brasil LTDA
- Inventors: Anderson Witka; Gabriel Bissaro Barban; Alexandre Mathias Brito; Thiago Daflon Dos Santos; Loïc Rene Le Bourlegat
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12768257B2

## CPC

- E21B 43/36: Underwater separating arrangements (E21B43/38 takes precedence)
- B01D 17/0214: {with removal of one of the phases}
- B01D 19/0042: {modifying the liquid flow (B01D19/0021 takes precedence)}
- B65D 88/78: for use in or under water
- B65D 90/044: {fixed or supported over substantially the whole interface}
- E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
- B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28)
- B65D: CONTAINERS FOR STORAGE OR TRANSPORT OF ARTICLES OR MATERIALS, e.g. BAGS, BARRELS, BOTTLES, BOXES, CANS, CARTONS, CRATES, DRUMS, JARS, TANKS, HOPPERS, FORWARDING CONTAINERS; ACCESSORIES, CLOSURES, OR FITTINGS THEREFOR; PACKAGING ELEMENTS; PACKAGES

## Abstract

It is described cylindrical subsea vessel (1) for separation of a flow, the vessel (1) comprising first and second longitudinal ends (T,1″), wherein the subsea vessel (1) comprises: —a liner (2); —at least one fluid inlet (3) and one fluid outlet (4, 5) into and out of an inner volume (7) of the vessel (1); —at least one flange (8) connected in one of the longitudinal ends (1′, 1″), wherein the at least one flange (8) and the liner (2) form the inner volume of the subsea vessel (1), and wherein the at least one flange (8) comprises at least one through-going opening (4,5,6) forming the at least one fluid inlet (3,4) and/or fluid outlet (5); —a load bearing structure (9) arranged outside the liner (2) and the at least one flange (8), wherein the load bearing structure (9) is of a composite material. It is further described a method of manufacturing the subsea vessel.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A cylindrical subsea vessel for separation of a flow, the vessel comprising:
first and second longitudinal ends;
a liner;
at least one fluid inlet and at least one fluid outlet connected to an inner volume of the vessel;
at least one flange connected to one of the first and second longitudinal ends, wherein the at least one flange and the liner form the inner volume of the subsea vessel, and wherein the at least one flange comprises at least one through-going opening forming the at least one fluid inlet and/or the at least one fluid outlet; and
a load bearing structure arranged outside the liner and the at least one flange, wherein the load bearing structure is made of a composite material; and
wherein the liner and the at least one flange are made of the same metal material;
wherein the at least one flange comprises only one flange; and
wherein the one flange comprises a first and a second through-going opening, and wherein the first through-going opening forms the fluid inlet and the second through-going opening forms the fluid outlet.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The subsea vessel according to claim 1, further comprising an inlet pipe extending from the one flange towards an opposite longitudinal end of the subsea vessel for directing fluid into the subsea vessel.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The subsea vessel according to claim 1, wherein all through-going openings for inlet and/or outlet of fluid into and out of the inner volume of the vessel are arranged in the at least one flange connected to the at least one longitudinal end of the vessel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The subsea vessel according to claim 1, wherein the composite material of the load bearing structure comprises a Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The subsea vessel according to claim 1, wherein the vessel further comprises a coating outside the composite material.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The subsea vessel according to claim 5, wherein the coating is a thermoplastic coating.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The subsea vessel according to claim 1, wherein the vessel comprises a galvanic coupling protection for the liner, the galvanic coupling protection being arranged between the liner and the load bearing structure.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The subsea vessel according to claim 7, wherein the galvanic coupling protection is a Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP).