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US 7,621,059 B2Granted
Underwater sediment evacuation system
AssigneeOceaneering International, Inc.
InventorsRichard W. McCoy, Jr., F. Richard Frisbie
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention is directed to an underwater sediment evacuation system. The invention uses a suction pile and one or more pumps, valves, and lines to evacuate sediment contained within the internal volume of the suction pile.
Claims20
An underwater sediment evacuation system comprising:
- a. a housing comprising a substantially cylindrical body and a top surface comprising a suction port, an inlet port, and a differential pressure relief port, said body and top surface defining an internal volume;
- b. a suction line extending through the suction port and comprising a first end in the internal volume, and a second end opposite the first end;
- c. a first valve comprising a discharge section connected to the inlet port, an inlet section opposite the discharge section, and a closure member between the discharge and inlet sections;
- d. a return line comprising a first end attached to the inlet section of the first valve and a second end opposite the first end;
- and
- e. a relief valve connected to the differential pressure relief port.
3 more elements
An underwater sediment evacuation system comprising:
- a. a housing comprising a substantially cylindrical body and a top surface comprising a suction port, an inlet port, a control valve port, and a pressure relief port, said body and top surface defining an internal volume;
- b. a suction line extending through the suction port and comprising a first end in the internal volume, and a second end opposite the first end;
- c. a first valve comprising a discharge section connected to the inlet port, an inlet section opposite the discharge section, and a closure member between the discharge and inlet sections;
- d. a return line comprising a first end attached to the inlet section of the first valve and a second end opposite the first end;
- e. a relief valve connected to the pressure relief port;
- and
- f. a control valve connected to the control valve port.
4 more elements
An underwater sediment evacuation system comprising:
- a. a housing comprising a substantially cylindrical body and a top surface comprising a suction port, an inlet port, a control valve port, and a pressure relief port, said body and top surface defining an internal volume;
- b. a suction line extending through the suction port and comprising a first end in the internal volume, a second end opposite the first end, a rotary standpipe section extending through the suction port and a flexible section extending downward from the standpipe into the internal volume;
- c. a first valve comprising a discharge section connected to the inlet port, an inlet section opposite the discharge section, and a closure member between the discharge and inlet sections;
- d. a return line comprising a first end attached to the inlet section of the first valve and a second end opposite the first end;
- e. a relief valve connected to the pressure relief port;
- f. a control valve connected to the control valve port;
- and
- g. a robotic arm attached to the portion of the standpipe in the internal volume and positioned such that it can move the flexible section of the suction line to a desired location.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.