Remote-controlled underwater vehicle for suction of oil from the underside of an ice surface

• US 10,322,775 B2
• Filed: 01/26/2017
• Issued: 06/18/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thyssenkrupp AG, Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH (Thyssenkrupp AG)
• Original Assignee: Thyssenkrupp AG, Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems GmbH (Thyssenkrupp AG)
• Inventors: Schiemann, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Upton, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US16/071,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20190047666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: 2107475, 2107476, 210776, 21017005, 21017009, 21017011, 2102421, 2102423, 210923, 114313, 114322
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 35/32 for collecting pollution from open water
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/005 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 2008/007 by means of a physical link to a base, e.g. wire, cable or umbilical
• CPC Class Codes: B63G 8/001 Underwater vessels adapted for special purposes, e.g. unmanned underwater vessels; Equipment specially adapted therefor, e.g. docking stations self-propelled or direction controlled diving chambers with mechanical link to a base B63C11/42
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/04 Devices for cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like floating materials by separating or removing these materials stopping water-borne material in artificial water canals E02B5/085; stopping water-borne material at barrages or weirs E02B8/023; other treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F; materials for treating liquid pollutants, e.g. oil, gasoline, fat, C09K3/32 ; separation of oil in sewage conduits E03F5/16
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 15/046 Collection of oil using vessels, i.e. boats, barges
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 20/204 Keeping clear the surface of open water from oil spills

Abstract

A remote-controlled underwater vehicle may be used to extract oil from an underside of a closed ice cover. Further, a system for extracting oil from an underside of a closed ice cover may comprise such a remote-controlled underwater vehicle and a submarine that can receive the remote-controlled underwater vehicle and store oil retrieved by the remote-controlled underwater vehicle. Finally, a method can be employed to extract oil from an underside of a closed ice cover.

Claims

1. A remote-controlled underwater vehicle for extracting oil from an underside of a closed ice cover, wherein the remote-controlled underwater vehicle has underwater buoyancy and comprises:

drive means;

a pump for extracting fluid;

means for locating oil;

means for connecting to a parent ship, the means for connecting having a first connection for communication, a second connection for supplying power to the remote-controlled underwater vehicle, and a third connection for conveying extracted fluid to the parent ship; and

a first floatation panel.

2. The remote-controlled underwater vehicle of claim 1 wherein the means for locating oil comprises sonar or multibeam sonar.

3. The remote-controlled underwater vehicle of claim 1 wherein the means for locating oil comprises an acoustic Doppler profiler.

4. The remote-controlled underwater vehicle of claim 1 wherein the means for locating oil comprises an infrared spectrometer.

5. The remote-controlled underwater vehicle of claim 1 wherein the means for locating oil comprises a visual camera.

6. The remote-controlled underwater vehicle of claim 1 wherein the means for locating oil comprises a gas chromatograph.

7. The remote-controlled underwater vehicle of claim 1 wherein the means for locating oil comprises a mass spectrometer.

8. The remote-controlled underwater vehicle of claim 1 wherein the means for locating oil is a first means for localizing oil, the remote-controlled underwater vehicle comprising a second means for locating oil, wherein the first and second means for locating oil are selected from a group consisting of sonar, multibeam sonar, an acoustic Doppler current profiler, an infrared spectrometer, a visual camera, a gas chromatograph, and a mass spectrometer, wherein the first means for locating oil is different than the second means for locating oil.

9. The remote-controlled underwater vehicle of claim 1 wherein the drive means comprises a first thruster.

10. The remote-controlled underwater vehicle of claim 9 wherein the first thruster is disposed vertically to generate buoyancy or downward thrust.

11. The remote-controlled underwater vehicle of claim 9 wherein the drive means comprises at least two second thrusters, which at least two second thrusters are disposed horizontally to generate propulsion.

12. The remote-controlled underwater vehicle of claim 1 wherein the pump for extracting fluid separates oil and water.

13. A system for extracting oil from an underside of a closed ice cover, the system comprising:

a submarine; and

a remote-controlled underwater vehicle connected with the submarine, wherein the remote-controlled underwater vehicle has underwater buoyancy and comprises;

drive means,

a pump for extracting fluid,

means for locating oil,

means for connecting to the submarine, the means for connecting having a first connection for communication, a second connection for supplying power to the remote-controlled underwater vehicle, and a third connection for conveying extracted fluid to the submarine; and

a first floatation panel.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the submarine comprises:

means for generating power;

means for controlling the remote-controlled underwater vehicle;

means for storing oil;

means for locating oil; and

means for receiving the remote-controlled underwater vehicle.

15. A method for extracting oil from an underside of a closed ice cover, the method comprising:

(a) heading to an accident site laying under the closed ice cover with a submarine;

(b) determining a position of the oil at the accident site with the submarine;

(c) deploying a remote-controlled underwater vehicle having underwater buoyancy from the submarine, wherein the remote-controlled underwater vehicle comprises;

drive means,

a pump for extracting fluid,

means for locating oil,

means for connecting to a parent ship, the means for connecting having a first connection for communication, a second connection for supplying power to the remote-controlled underwater vehicle, and a third connection for conveying extracted fluid to the parent ship, and

a first floatation panel;

(d) approaching the position of the oil with the remote-controlled underwater vehicle;

(e) determining a more-precise position of the oil with the remote-controlled underwater vehicle;

(f) approaching the more-precise position of the oil with the remote-controlled underwater vehicle;

(g) extracting the oil with the remote-controlled underwater vehicle;

(h) transferring the oil to the submarine via the third connection for conveying extracted fluid;

(i) storing the oil; and

(j) retrieving the remote-controlled underwater vehicle with the submarine.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising approaching a location for disposing of the oil that has been extracted and stored.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein determining the position of the oil at the accident site with the submarine in step (b) comprises determining a first position of the oil and a second position of the oil, wherein the method comprises performs performing steps (d) through (i) with respect to the first and second positions.