Submersible apparatus for transporting compressed gas

{
  "publication_number": "US6260501B1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B1",
  "title": "Submersible apparatus for transporting compressed gas",
  "abstract": "A submersible apparatus for transporting compressed gas comprising a plurality of spools, each having a central bore. A long continuous length of relatively small diameter line pipe for holding compressed natural gas is wound about each spool, so that an inner end of the pipe terminates in the bore, while an outer end of the pipe terminates at outer surface of the spool. A tank has a thin housing to store the spools vertically therein, with axis of the bores horizontally to create a continuous pathway therethrough. An inner header extends through the length of the continuous pathway of the bores and has the inner ends of the pipes connected thereto. An outer header extends the length of the tank and has the outer ends of the pipes connected thereto. A pair of access ports are provided with each located at one end of the tank to provide loading/unloading nozzles and access ways for maintenance personnel.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A submersible apparatus for transporting compressed gas comprising: a plurality of spools, each defining a spool central axis therethrough and an outer periphery therearound, said spools interconnected to each other so that said central axes of said spools are substantially coaxially aligned and so that said spools together form a self supporting unitary assembly whereby forces exerted on said assembly parallel to and normal to said aligned central axes are distributed throughout said assembly of said spools; a plurality of pieces of relatively small diameter pipe for holding compressed natural gas, each piece of pipe wound around one of said spools; and, an elongate tank supported on said assembly of said spools, said tank including a thin tubular housing having opposed ends and extending around said interconnected spools, said tubular housing closed at both ends and conforming in shape to said outer peripheries of said spools so that said housing is supported by said interconnected spools, said housing having a smooth hydrodynamic shape and configured so as to maintain the central axes of said spools generally horizontal in the water.",
    "2. The submersible apparatus for transporting compressed gas as recited in claim 1 adapted to be towed by a tug boat equipped with monitoring and control equipment and powered by compressed gas, said submersible apparatus further including: tow cable means for connecting one end of said submersible apparatus to said tug boat; control and communication cable means for connecting said submersible apparatus with said tug boat; and a gas fuel line for connecting at least one of said small diameter pipes to said tug boat so that compressed gas stored in said submersible apparatus is supplied to said tug boat.",
    "3. The submersible apparatus of claim 1 further including buoyancy regulating means for selectively changing the buoyancy of said apparatus so that said apparatus remains substantially submerged in the water to minimize the temperature changes to which the compressed gas within said pipes is subjected thereby allowing pipe sizing to meet lesser pressure pipe design codes.",
    "4. The submersible apparatus for transporting compressed gas as recited in claim 3, wherein said thin housing of said tank is generally cylindrical; and wherein said bouyancy regulating means further includes ballasting compartments that can be selectively filled and emptied with a ballasting fluid so that said submersible apparatus can selectively surface a body of water for loading and unloading and be submersed to a neutral buoyant condition well below any wave affect while en route in open seas.",
    "5. The submersible apparatus of claim 1 wherein said spools are interconnected so that towing forces are imposed on said assembly of spools.",
    "6. The submersible apparatus of claim 1 wherein said spools are interconnected so that, when one of said apparatus is towing another of said apparatus, the towing forces exerted on said first mentioned apparatus by said second mentioned apparatus are transmitted through said spools in said assembly on said first mentioned apparatus.",
    "7. The submersible apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: an incompressible fluid filling the space between said spools and pipes and said tank, said fluid in hydraulic communication with the water in which said apparatus is submerged so that the pressure differential across said housing is substantially zero.",
    "8. The submersible apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of said spools defines a bore therethrough concentrically of said central axis, said bores of said spools being substantially aligned to define a common continuous passageway through said assembly of said spools; and further comprising at least one sealable access opening in said tank communicating with said common passageway through said spools so that access is provided for personnel to said passageway through said spools.",
    "9. The submersible apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pieces of pipe are wound around said spools so as to form continuous lengths of small diameter pipe around each of said spools having opposed ends; and further including header means operatively connecting said lengths of said pipe in parallel to each other whereby compressed gas can be supplied to and removed from said lengths of pipe on said spools via said header means.",
    "10. The submersible apparatus for transporting compressed gas as recited in claim 9, further including: pressure gauge means operatively connected to said header means so as to indicate the pressure within said header means; and venting valve means operatively connected to said header means, so that when a high-pressure occurs within said header means, said venting valve means can be operated to vent some of the compressed gas.",
    "11. The submersible apparatus of claim 9 wherein said header means further includes: first header means operatively connecting one of said ends of said lengths of pipe on each of said spools in parallel with one of said ends of said lengths of pipe on each of said other spools; and second header means operatively connecting the other of said opposed ends on each said length of pipe on each of said spools so that said lengths of pipe are connected in parallel.",
    "12. The submersible apparatus for transporting compressed gas as recited in claim 11, further including: a first set of isolation valves operatively connecting said lengths of said pipes to said first header; and a second set of isolation valves operatively connecting said lengths of said pipes to said second header for selectively isolating said length of said pipe on each of said spools from said lengths of said pipes on the other of said spools.",
    "13. The submersible apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pieces of pipe are wound around said spools in concentric layers, the outer layer of said pieces of pipe having a design factor of about 0.5 and the remaining inner layers of said pieces of pipe having a design factor of about 0.72 so that said outer layer helps absorb the axial stresses to which said submersible apparatus is subjected.",
    "14. The submersible apparatus of claim 1 wherein said pieces of pipe have a design pressure of at least 1,800 PSIG."
  ],
  "cpc": [
    "B65D 88/78",
    "B63B 25/14",
    "B63G 2008/425",
    "B63G 8/42"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2000-03-17",
  "publication_date": "2001-07-17",
  "grant_date": "2001-07-17",
  "priority_date": "2000-03-17",
  "application_number": "US-52758600-A",
  "family_id": "24102077",
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}