Buoyancy device for very deep water and production method thereof
AssigneeSaipem S.P.A.
InventorsValerio BREGONZIO, Cristian SCAINI
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A buoyancy device (1) comprises a support structure 2, 4 which can be connected to an underwater application (3) and one or more buoyancy spheres (4) having a specific weight of less than 500 kg/m3 connected to the support structure (2) and having a light metal spherical shell (5) defining a spherical inner volume (6) and which has an outer diameter (d) greater than 0.5cm, and a radial thickness (t) greater than 0.08mm, wherein the spherical shell (5) is obtained in one piece in nano-crystalline metal with an average grain size of less than 1000 nanometers.
Claims17
A buoyancy device, comprising:
- a support structure which can be connected to an underwater application,
- one or more buoyancy spheres connected to the support structure, said buoyancy spheres having a specific weight of less than 500 kg/m3, and a metal spherical shell defining a spherical inner volume and which has an outer diameter greater than 0.5 cm, and a radial thickness greater than 0.08 mm,
- wherein the spherical shell is obtained in one piece in nano-crystalline metal with an average grain size of less than 1000 nanometers.
A method of producing a buoyancy device, comprising:
- producing one or more buoyancy spheres having a specific weight of less than 500 kg/m3, and a metal spherical shell defining a spherical inner volume and which has an outer diameter greater than 0.5 cm and a radial thickness greater than 0.08 mm,
- connecting said one or more buoyancy spheres to a support structure for a connection to underwater installations or underwater vehicles,
- obtaining the spherical shell in one piece by deposition of metal nano-particles along a predetermined spherical geometry.
A buoyancy device, comprising:
- a support structure with can be connected to an underwater application,
- one or more buoyancy spheres connected to the support structure, said buoyancy spheres having a specific gravity of less than 500 kg/m3, and a metal spherical shell defining a spherical inner volume and which has an outer diameter greater than 0.5 cm and a radial thickness greater than 0.08 mm,
- wherein the spherical shell is obtained in one piece in a metal alloy having:
- an elastic module E greater than 68 GPa, and
- a yield stress oy greater than 680 MPa, preferably greater than 850 MPa, and
- a density of less than 3000 Kg/m3, preferably less than 2820 Kg/m3.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.