Emergency buoyancy system for a vessel
OwnerNeal Patelinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An emergency buoyancy system mounted to a vessel includes a depth sensor to sense a predetermined maximum depth, and an actuator actuated by the depth sensor. The actuator, upon actuation, opens a membrane between tanks, each holding one of a pair of gas producing chemicals. The gas producing chemicals, preferably bicarbonate of soda and vinegar, mix together to produce carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide fills a plurality of balloons, thereby providing buoyancy to the vessel to which the balloons are attached.
Claims12
An emergency buoyancy system for a vessel comprising a plurality of canisters mounted to the port side of the vessel and a plurality of canisters mounted to the starboard side of the vessel, each canister comprising:
- a. a first tank adapted to retain a first chemical;
- b. a second tank adapted to retain a second chemical, wherein the first and second chemicals produce a gas when they come in contact with one another;
- c. a membrane between the first and second tanks;
- d. a pressure sensor adapted to sense hydrostatic pressure in the vicinity of the canister;
- e. a probe, actuated by the pressure sensor, upon sensing by the pressure sensor of a predetermined pressure, the probe positioned to pierce the membrane upon actuation by the pressure sensor, thereby releasing the first chemical into the second tank to contact the second chemical;
- and
- f. a balloon in fluid communication with the second tank to receive gas from the second tank to inflate the balloon, thereby providing buoyancy to the vessel.
A method of providing emergency buoyancy to a vessel comprising the steps of:
- a. storing at least two chemicals which, when mixed, produce a gas, the stored chemicals maintained separated from each other until mixed;
- b. storing a collapsed balloon in fluid communication with chamber wherein gas will be produced by the mixing of the stored chemicals;
- c. sensing hydrostatic pressure at a point on the vessel and, when a predetermined hydrostatic pressure is sensed,
- d. mixing the chemicals to produce a gas;
- and
- e. directing the gas into the balloon, thereby inflating the balloon to provide emergency buoyancy to the vessel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.