Ships – Floating platform
Patent
1993-11-17
1995-01-17
Avila, Stephen P.
Ships
Floating platform
B63B 3500
Patent
active
053817516
ABSTRACT:
A deep-ocean relocation system includes a transport vehicle (glider) and a quad riser assembly for transporting waste for disposal at abyssal depths. The transport vehicle is either self-powered or towed by a host vehicle, and travels at the water surface or underwater to the disposal site. At the disposal site, the transport vehicle, which is primarily constructed of a space-frame matrix that is positively buoyant in sea water, descends to abyssal depths along a helical glide path, discharges its waste cargo, and thereafter ascends. The quad riser assembly includes a floating platform and at least two riser lines extending from the platform down to abyssal depths. Waste is discharged through at least one of the riser lines to the abyssal depths, while at least one other riser line is used to draw water from the abyssal depths to generate a slurry with the waste material. The waste is thus thermally habituated prior to disposal. Both of these approaches provide cost effective and environmentally safe means for the depositing/relocation of large tonnages of waste, totally isolating the waste from the intervening water column, while generating low plume, and precisely emplacing the waste in abyssal sea floor regions possessing low biodiversity, low productivity and low kinetic energy. Further, such regions are amenable to long-term management/monitoring techniques.
REFERENCES:
patent: 542408 (1900-07-01), Delehanty
patent: 3456824 (1969-07-01), Smith
patent: 3595161 (1971-07-01), Webb
patent: 3881530 (1975-05-01), Faldi
patent: 4307679 (1981-12-01), Goldsberry et al.
patent: 4357764 (1982-11-01), Lemercier et al.
patent: 4400115 (1983-08-01), Biancale et al.
patent: 4452478 (1984-06-01), Dulaney
patent: 4518507 (1985-05-01), Conner
patent: 4525100 (1985-06-01), Zawadzki, Jr. et al.
patent: 4829923 (1989-05-01), Copson et al.
patent: 4863638 (1989-09-01), Harper, III
patent: 4877353 (1989-10-01), Wisotsky, Sr.
patent: 5115751 (1992-05-01), Copson
Mackey Lawrence A.
Resnick Andrew M.
Richards William R.
Schwatka Brian K.
Wilkes John A.
Avila Stephen P.
Oceaneering Technologies, Inc.
LandOfFree
Transportation and discharge of waste to abyssal depths does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Transportation and discharge of waste to abyssal depths, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Transportation and discharge of waste to abyssal depths will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-741675