Method and apparatus for installing marine silos
First Claim
1. Apparatus for installing marine silos to a desired depth into the seabed such that the interior of the silos is void of seabed material to a desired depth, said apparatus comprising:
- (a) a submergible silo positioning template operatively supporting said silo during surface transportation of the silo to its intended site; and
being capable while floating and submerged of raising and lowering said silo relative thereto, said silo positioning template including means for maintaining vertical alignment of said silo during installation thereof.(b) a submergible excavation module capable of establishing mated assembly with the silo with at least a portion thereof entering the silo; and
(c) excavation means being operatively supported by said excavation module and being controllably movable relative to said excavation module and the silo, said excavation means being capable of loosening the soil of the seabed and removing the loosened soil from the silo.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for installing marine silos to a desired depth into the seabed such that the interior of the silos is void of seabed material to a desired depth. A submergable silo positioning template operatively supports a silo and excavation modules during surface transportation to the intended site and is capable while floating and submerged of raising and lowering the silo relative to the template and maintaining vertical alignment of the silo. The submergable excavating module incorporates apparatus for loosening and removing sea bed material within the silo thus permitting the silo and excavating module to descend to a desired depth in the seabed. The template and the excavating module are separated from the silo after silo installation and are reused for other silo installations. During silo installation the influence of hydrostatically stimulated force may be employed to assist forcible insertion of the silo into the soil of the seabed.
77 Citations
19 Claims
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1. Apparatus for installing marine silos to a desired depth into the seabed such that the interior of the silos is void of seabed material to a desired depth, said apparatus comprising:
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(a) a submergible silo positioning template operatively supporting said silo during surface transportation of the silo to its intended site; and
being capable while floating and submerged of raising and lowering said silo relative thereto, said silo positioning template including means for maintaining vertical alignment of said silo during installation thereof.(b) a submergible excavation module capable of establishing mated assembly with the silo with at least a portion thereof entering the silo; and (c) excavation means being operatively supported by said excavation module and being controllably movable relative to said excavation module and the silo, said excavation means being capable of loosening the soil of the seabed and removing the loosened soil from the silo. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for installation of an elongated tubular silo having a lower cutting shoe to a predetermined depth in the seabed comprising:
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(a) establishing releasable assembly of a silo with a submergible silo installation template; (b) causing said silo and template assembly to descend to the seabed at the intended installation site; (c) lowering said silo relative to said template until said cutting shoe contacts the seabed; (d) positioning a submergible excavation module at least partially within said silo and in excavating contact with seabed soil; (e) energizing said excavation module for loosening said soil and conveying the soil from the seabed to a location externally of said silo; (f) controllably lowering the silo into the seabed during soil excavation by said excavation module until the silo has reached its designed depth; and (g) recovering said excavation module from the silo for reuse and recovring said silo installation template for reuse, leaving the silo installed in the seabed. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification