Buoyancy control systems for tubes
AssigneeFiberspar Corporation
InventorsPeter A. Quigley, Stephen C. Nolet, Thomas W. Wideman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A buoyancy control system for controlling the buoyancy of a tube may includes generally tubular length of buoyancy control material having a selected buoyancy characteristic. The length of buoyancy control material may be attached to a section of the length of the tube to adjust the buoyancy of the section of the tube. The length of buoyancy control material may be an integral, coaxial layer of the tube or, alternatively, the length of buoyancy control material may be externally attached to tube. In embodiments in which the length of the buoyancy control material is externally attached, the buoyancy control material may have a longitudinal axis that is spaced-apart from a longitudinal axis of the tube.
Claims13
A spoolable tube comprising:
- an internal liner;
- a buoyancy control layer comprising a solid buoyancy control material comprising a filled polymer;
- wherein said filled polymer comprises one or more of:
- organic, organic-inorganic or inorganic salts, minerals, ceramics, metal oxides or main group oxides, clays, sand, cement or metals;
- and
- wherein said buoyancy control layer facilitates spooling of said tube.
A spoolable system comprising:
- a tube including an inner liner;
- and
- a solid buoyancy control material comprising a filled polymer, one or more portions of the buoyancy control material being attached to one or more portions of the tube to adjust the buoyancy of the one or more portions of the tube;
- wherein said filled polymer comprises one or more of:
- organic, organic-inorganic or inorganic salts, minerals, ceramics, metal oxides or main group oxides, clays, sand, cement or metals;
- and
- wherein said tube and said buoyancy control material are spoolable on a reel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.