US 6,260,501 B1Granted

Submersible apparatus for transporting compressed gas

OwnerArthur Patrick Agnewinventor

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Abstract

A submersible apparatus for transporting compressed gas comprising a plurality of spools, each having a central bore. A long continuous length of relatively small diameter line pipe for holding compressed natural gas is wound about each spool, so that an inner end of the pipe terminates in the bore, while an outer end of the pipe terminates at outer surface of the spool. A tank has a thin housing to store the spools vertically therein, with axis of the bores horizontally to create a continuous pathway therethrough. An inner header extends through the length of the continuous pathway of the bores and has the inner ends of the pipes connected thereto. An outer header extends the length of the tank and has the outer ends of the pipes connected thereto. A pair of access ports are provided with each located at one end of the tank to provide loading/unloading nozzles and access ways for maintenance personnel.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A submersible apparatus for transporting compressed gas comprising:

a plurality of spools, each defining a spool central axis therethrough and an outer periphery therearound, said spools interconnected to each other so that said central axes of said spools are substantially coaxially aligned and so that said spools together form a self supporting unitary assembly whereby forces exerted on said assembly parallel to and normal to said aligned central axes are distributed throughout said assembly of said spools;
a plurality of pieces of relatively small diameter pipe for holding compressed natural gas, each piece of pipe wound around one of said spools;
and,
an elongate tank supported on said assembly of said spools, said tank including a thin tubular housing having opposed ends and extending around said interconnected spools, said tubular housing closed at both ends and conforming in shape to said outer peripheries of said spools so that said housing is supported by said interconnected spools, said housing having a smooth hydrodynamic shape and configured so as to maintain the central axes of said spools generally horizontal in the water.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.