Towed hydrophone streamer with distributed electronics housings

Abstract

Disclosed is a towed hydrophone streamer module comprising: (1) an elongated, fluid-resistant jacket having a substantially circular cross section, the water resistant jacket having mating connectors at ends thereof, (2) a plurality of sensors distributed in a spaced-apart relationship within the jacket, (3) a data bus positioned along a length of the jacket and terminating in electrical contacts in the mating connectors and (4) a plurality of cylindrical, fluid-resistant electronics housings disposed within the jacket in a spaced-apart relationship along a length thereof, each of the plurality of housings having a circuit board therein and spanning a length thereof and end caps at ends thereof, one of the end caps having electrical contacts coupled to components on the circuit board, a center-line of the housings substantially in alignment with a center-line of the jacket, the components coupling the plurality of sensors to the data bus for electrical communication therewith. In contrast with prior art streamers having electronics canisters centrally located between modules, the present invention spreads the electronics throughout the module, decreasing the viscous and turbulent drag of the module as it is towed, spreading heat dissipation more evenly throughout the module and allowing the jacket to be only 2 inches in diameter, in a preferred embodiment.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.