High power laser photo-conversion assemblies, apparatuses and methods of use

• US 9,080,425 B2
• Filed: 01/10/2012
• Issued: 07/14/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Foro Energy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Foro Energy, Inc.
• Inventors: Zediker, Mark S., Jones-Albertus, Rebecca, Faircloth, Brian O., Rinzler, Charles C., Moxley, Joel F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fiorello, Benjamin
• Assistant Examiner(s): TOLEDO-DURAN, EDWIN J
• Application Number:
  US13/347,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20120266803A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,281 Days
• Field of Search: 405/190, 405/191, 405/185, 405/192, 405/193, 405/154.1, 219/121.67, 219/121.72
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/0042 by laser
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 7/0071 by heating B08B7/0035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/023 Cleaning the external surface B08B9/021 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B08B 9/027 Cleaning the internal surfaces; Removal of blockages
• 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: E21B 41/04 Manipulators for underwater operations, e.g. temporarily connected to well heads
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4296 coupling with sources of high radiant energy, e.g. high power lasers, high temperature light sources

Abstract

There is provided a high power laser system for powering a remotely located laser device, such as an ROV, using a high power laser fiber optic tether and a photo-conversion device, such as a laser photovoltaic assembly. Laser device systems, such as ROV systems that utilizes a high power laser cutting and/or cleaning tools are also provided.

Claims

1. A high power offshore laser ROV system comprising:

a. A support vessel, the support vessel comprising a laser housing containing a high power laser, the high power laser capable of propagating at least a 10 kW laser beam;

b. An offshore tether having a distal end and a proximal end defining a length there between, and comprising a high power optical fiber having a length equal to or greater than the length of the tether;

c. A means for playing out and retrieving the tether, the means comprising a mechanical, optical, or opto-mechanical device;

d. A subsea remotely operated vehicle;

e. The support vessel comprising a mechanical means for handling the remotely operated vehicle, wherein the remotely operated vehicle can be loaded and offloaded from the vessel; and

,

f. The proximal end of the tether mechanically associated with the support vessel and the distal end of the tether mechanically associated with the remotely operated vehicle;

a proximal end of the optical fiber in optical communication with the high power laser and a distal end of the optical fiber in optical communication with the remotely operated vehicle.

2. The high power laser ROV system of claim 1, comprising a laser-cutting tool.

3. The high power laser ROV system of claim 1, wherein the tether comprises a plurality of high power optical fibers.

4. The high power laser ROV system of claim 1, comprising a laser photovoltaic assembly.

5. The high power laser ROV system of claim 4, wherein the high power laser provides a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength range and the laser photovoltaic assembly is optimized for the predetermined wavelength range.

6. The high power laser ROV system of claim 5, wherein the laser beam has a predetermined wavelength range selected in part for the reduction of non-linear effects.

7. The high power laser ROV system of claim 5, wherein the laser beam has a predetermined wavelength range selected in part for the optimization of the laser photovoltaic assembly.

8. The high power laser ROV system of claim 4, wherein the high power laser provides a laser beam having a predetermined wavelength range and the laser photovoltaic assembly and the wavelength range are matched.

9. The high power laser ROV system of claim 8, wherein the predetermined laser wavelength range is from about 1060 nm to 1080 nm and the laser photovoltaic assembly comprises a photovoltaic cell.

10. The high power laser ROV system of claim 9, wherein the photovoltaic cell comprises a material selected from the group consisting of:

a. Al_xIn_yGa_1-x-yAs, wherein 0≦

x≦

0.45 and 0≦

y≦

1,

b. Si_xGe_1-x, wherein 0≦

x≦

1,

c. Al_xIn_yGa_1-x-yN, wherein 0≦

x≦

0.5, and 0.1≦

y≦

1,

d. In_xGa_1-xSb, wherein 0≦

x≦

0.3,

e. In_xGa_1-xN_yAs_1-y, wherein 0≦

x≦

0.3 and 0<

y≦

0.1, and

f. In_xGa_1-xAs_yP_1-y, wherein 0≦

x≦

1 and 0≦

y≦

1.

11. The high power laser ROV system of claim 4, wherein the laser photovoltaic assembly comprises:

a. an optically active surface; and

,

b. a means for controlling the temperature of the optically active surface.

12. The high power laser ROV system of claim 11, wherein the means for controlling the temperature of the optically active surface comprises seawater.

13. The high power laser ROV system of claim 11, wherein the means for controlling the temperature of the optically active surface comprises water from a body of water in which the high power laser ROV system is submerged.

14. The high power laser ROV system of claim 11, wherein the means for controlling the temperature of the optically active surface comprises flowing water from a body of water in which the high power laser ROV system is submerged in thermal association with the laser photovoltaic assembly and then discharging the water to the body of water.

15. The high power ROV system of claim 1, wherein the tether is characterized by a weight-power-distance value less than about 50,000.

16. The high power laser ROV system of claim 1, wherein the tether is characterized by a weight-power-distance value less than about 40,000.

17. The high power laser ROV system of claim 1, wherein the tether is characterized by a weight-power-distance value from about 100 to about 30,000.

18. The high power laser ROV system of claim 1, wherein the laser housing is submergible and is characterized by a pressure rating of at least about 1,000 psi.

20. The high power laser ROV system of claim 1, wherein in the offshore tether comprises a subsea tether.

21. The high power laser ROV system of claim 1, wherein in the means for playing out and retrieving the tether comprises a spool.

22. The high power laser ROV system of claim 1, wherein in the means for playing out and retrieving the tether comprises an optical slip ring.

23. The high power laser ROV system of claim 1, wherein in the means for handling the remotely operated vehicle comprises a crane.

24. The high power laser ROV system of claim 1, wherein in the means for handling the remotely operated vehicle comprises a lifting device.

19. A high power offshore laser system comprising:

a. A support vessel, the support vessel comprising a laser housing containing a high power laser, a laser control system, the high power laser capable of propagating at least a 10 kW laser beam;

b. An offshore tether having a distal end and a proximal end defining an operational length there between, and comprising a high power optical fiber having a length equal to or greater than the operational length of the tether;

c. A mechanical means for playing out and retrieving the offshore tether to a deployed length, wherein the deployed length is no greater than the operational length;

d. A subsea remotely operated vehicle comprising a laser cutting tool;

e. The support vessel comprising a remotely operated vehicle handling device, wherein the remotely operated vehicle can be loaded and offloaded from the vessel; and

,

f. A proximal end of the optical fiber in optical communication with the high power laser and a distal end of the optical fiber in optical communication with the laser cutter.

25. A high power offshore laser system comprising:

a. a vessel, the vessel comprising a laser housing containing a high power laser, a laser control system, the high power laser capable of propagating at least a 15 kW laser beam;

b. an offshore tether having a distal end and a proximal end defining a length there between, and comprising a high power optical fiber having a length;

c. a subsea vehicle comprising a laser cutting tool;

d. a tether deployment and retrieval system, wherein the offshore laser system is capable of deploying and retrieving the tether as the subsea vehicle is deployed to a location for performing a laser operation;

e. the vessel comprising a subsea vehicle deployment and retrieval system, wherein the subsea vehicle can be loaded and offloaded from the vessel; and

,

f. a proximal end of the tether in optical communication with the high power laser and a distal end of the tether in optical communication with the laser cutter.

26. The high power offshore laser system of claim 25, wherein the subsea vehicle is an ROV.

27. The high power offshore laser system of claim 25, wherein the subsea vehicle is a subsea tractor.

28. The high power offshore laser system of claim 25, wherein the subsea vehicle is a subsea trencher.

29. The high power offshore laser system of claim 25, wherein the subsea vehicle is a subsea excavation tool.

30. A high power laser offshore subsea vehicle system comprising:

a. An offshore support vessel, the offshore support vessel comprising a laser housing containing a high power laser, the high power laser capable of propagating at least a 10 kW laser beam;

b. An offshore umbilical having a distal end and a proximal end defining a length there between, and comprising a high power optical fiber;

c. An umbilical handling device;

wherein the system is capable of playing out and retrieving the umbilical;

d. A subsea remotely operated vehicle comprising a laser cutter;

e. The support vessel comprising a subsea vehicle handling device, wherein the subsea vehicle can be deployed from the vessel; and

,

f. The proximal end of the umbilical in optical communication with the high power laser and the distal end of the tether in optical communication with the laser cutter.

31. A high power subsea laser cutting system comprising:

a. An offshore support vessel;

b. A subsea laser assembly comprising a subsea high power laser, the high power laser capable of propagating at least a 10 kW laser beam;

c. A subsea umbilical having a distal end and a proximal end defining a length there between, and comprising a high power optical fiber;

d. A subsea remotely operated vehicle comprising a laser cutter;

e. An umbilical handling device;

f. The support vessel comprising a subsea laser assembly handling device, wherein the subsea laser assembly can be deployed from the vessel; and

,

g. A proximal end of the optical fiber in optical communication with the high power laser and a distal end of the optical fiber in optical communication with the laser cutter.

32. The high power laser offshore subsea laser cutting system of claim 31, wherein the subsea laser assembly comprises the umbilical handling device.

33. The high power laser offshore subsea laser cutting system of claim 31, wherein the subsea laser assembly comprises the umbilical handling device.

34. The high power laser offshore subsea laser cutting system of claim 31, wherein the subsea laser assembly comprises a subsea vehicle handling device.

35. The high power laser offshore subsea laser cutting system of claim 31, comprising an electrical cable for delivering electricity from the support vessel to the high power laser.