Freeze resistant buoy system

• US 7,258,836 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2003
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC
• Original Assignee: UT-Battelle LLC
• Inventors: Klett, James W., Greenbaum, Elias, Hill, David E., Rodriguez, Miguel Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alexander; Lyle A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Handy; Dwayne K
• Application Number:
  US10/689,261
• Publication Number:
  US 20050084418A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,401 Days
• Field of Search: 422/50, 422/58, 422/68.1, 422/82.05, 422/102, 116/107, 116/108, 116/109, 114/326, 114/328, 114/329, 441/6, 441/11, 441/12, 441/13, 441/32, 441/33
• US Class Current: 422/50
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 2035/4453 for converting solar energy into electric energy
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 22/24 container type, i.e. having provision for the storage of material

Abstract

A freeze resistant buoy system includes a tail-tube buoy having a thermally insulated section disposed predominantly above a waterline, and a thermo-siphon disposed predominantly below the waterline.

Claims

1. A freeze resistant buoy system comprising a tail-tube buoy having:

an upper thermally insulated section disposed predominantly above a waterline region, said buoy further comprising;

a lower thermosiphon section disposed predominantly below said waterline region and having a bottom, wherein said lower thermosiphon section is further comprised of an outer shell and inner shell having a hollow space with heat transfer fluid therebetween; and

wherein said lower thermosiphon section is configured to transfer heat from the bottom to the waterline region.

2. A freeze resistant buoy system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said thermo-siphon comprises a porous heat-exchange material.

3. A freeze resistant buoy system in accordance with claim 2 wherein said porous heat-exchange material comprises graphite foam.

4. A freeze resistant buoy system in accordance with claim 1 further comprising stabilizing collar attached to the housing.

5. A freeze resistant buoy system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said stabilizing collar is located at least proximate to an interface between said lower section and said upper section.

6. A freeze resistant buoy system comprising a tail-tube buoy having:

an upper thermally insulated section disposed predominantly above a waterline region, said buoy further comprising;

a lower thermosiphon section disposed predominantly below said waterline region and having a bottom, wherein said lower thermosiphon section is further comprised of an outer shell and inner shell having a hollow space with heat transfer fluid therebetween;

wherein said lower thermosiphon section is configured to transfer heat from the bottom to the waterline region; and

a system housed within the buoy system for collecting and analyzing samples.

7. A freeze resistant buoy system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said system further comprises at least one device selected from the group consisting of mechanical, chemical, biological, electrical, electronic, sonic, and optical devices.

8. A freeze resistant buoy system in accordance with claim 6 wherein said system further comprises:

a detector for detecting at least one toxic agent in a water sample; and

introducing means for introducing a water sample into said detector and discharging said water sample from said detector.

9. A device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said detector further comprises a fluorometer for measuring photosynthetic activity of naturally occurring, indigenous photosynthetic organisms drawn into said detector system.

10. A device in accordance with claim 8 wherein said detector further comprises an electronics package that analyzes raw data from said detector and emits a signal indicating the presence of at least one toxic agent in said water.

11. A device in accordance with claim 8 that can wherein said device is configured as a component of an integrated data highway to which signal from said detector can provide the location and time of the introduction of at least one toxic agent in said water.