57results about "Buoyancy means" patented technology

A floating body for an offshore wind turbine includes: one first column; two second columns; two lower hulls connecting the first column to each of the second columns; and a beam member connecting the two lower hulls. The beam member is disposed within a height range between an upper surface and a lower surface of each lower hull.

The present disclosure provides a cleaning device and a cleaning device system. The cleaning device includes a cleaning device body. The cleaning device body includes a filtering mechanism, a drive mechanism, an adjustment assembly, a moving assembly, and a propulsion assembly. The filtering mechanism is at least partially disposed inside the cleaning device body. The drive mechanism is configured to generate a suction force to drive liquid to flow through the at least one filtering mechanism. The adjustment assembly is configured to adjust an action force applied to the cleaning device in a first direction or a second direction, so that the cleaning device is switched between a first motion state and a third motion state. The moving assembly is disposed at the bottom of the cleaning device body and configured to drive the cleaning device to move on a to-be-cleaned surface. The propulsion assembly is configured to drive the cleaning device to move away from the to-be-cleaned surface. The cleaning device can be switched between the first motion state and the third motion state to perform underwater cleaning and water surface cleaning to meet different use requirements.

A swimming pool robot and a method for controlling a swimming pool robot are disclosed. The swimming pool robot includes a liquid intake portion including at least a first intake and a second intake. During a process of switching the swimming pool robot from a first motion state to a third motion state, the swimming pool robot is first switched from the first motion state to a second motion state and subsequently switched from the second motion state to the third motion state. No matter whether when the swimming pool robot is in the first motion state or when the swimming pool robot is in the third motion state, the first intake faces a bottom of a swimming pool, and / or a posture of the swimming pool robot in the first motion state is substantially identical to the posture of the swimming pool robot in the third motion state.

Disclosed is a flow-guide device for an offshore platform, comprising a flow-guide column base, a ballast level control device and a spiral side belt system, wherein the flow-guide column base is located at the bottom of an offshore platform, and multiple flow-guide column bases are arranged symmetrically and distributed in a ring array; the flow-guide column base is rotatably connected to the offshore platform; a ballast compartment is arranged in the flow-guide column base, and the ballast level control device is used for controlling a ballast level in the ballast compartment; and the spiral side belt system is arranged outside the flow-guide column base and used for restraining vortex-induced resonance. The flow-guide column base and the offshore platform can be kept in a relatively fixed state by means of a clamping device, such that the offshore platform is able to rotate synchronously with the flow-guide column base.

The present application relates to a wind turbine foundation, a wind turbine generator system and a control method. The wind turbine foundation is capable of being arranged in seawater and configured to support a tower, wherein the wind turbine foundation includes: floating bodies, wherein a number of the floating bodies is n, the floating bodies are arranged at intervals from each other, and lines connecting centers of the floating bodies form a polygon as a whole, where n≥3; connecting bodies, wherein a corresponding one of the connecting bodies is connected between every two adjacent floating bodies; wherein each of the floating bodies has a static chamber and a dynamic chamber that are independently arranged, a first medium is enclosed within the static chamber, each of the floating bodies is provided with a first opening connected to the dynamic chamber and a first control valve, and the first control valve controls opening and closing of the first opening to adjust a volume of the seawater entering the dynamic chamber. According to the wind turbine foundation, wind turbine generator system and control method provided in the embodiments of the present application, the wind turbine foundation has a fast response speed and a good stability effect.

A wave-activated buoyancy regulator for structures positioned in a body of water, wherein a wave-activated pump is used to provide neutral, negative and positive buoyancy in response to prevailing ambient wave conditions, through the variation of the ratio of a first fluid to a second fluid within a ballast tank.

Water buoys sense water characteristics and wirelessly transfer the water characteristics for delivery to a computer system. The computer system receives the water characteristics wirelessly transferred by the water buoys. The computer system receives a location and a user water condition preference transferred by a user communication device. The computer system processes the water characteristics, the location, and the user water condition preference, and in response, generates and transfers water condition information for the location for delivery to the user communication device.

The invention describes a barge for assembly of a floating support structure (1) comprising a lower buoyancy section (2) with a lower buoyancy volume VL and a working deck (3) comprising support elements (4) for receiving parts of the floating support structure to be assembled. The barge further comprises a ballasting system (7) for lowering and elevating the barge (1). The barge is characterized by a divisional section (6) holding the lower buoyancy section (2) and the working deck (3) in a vertical distance from each other and having a divisional buoyancy volume VD considerably smaller than lower buoyancy volume VL, such that the ballasting system, by pumping a quantity of water equal to VD in or out, is able to move the barge (1) between a lower position with a bottom side of the working deck (3) in the waterline, and an upper position with the top side of the lower buoyancy section (2) in the waterline.

A variable buoyancy platform including a support frame having a plurality of bottom pontoons fixedly mounted to a bottom side thereof. Each bottom pontoon includes at least an opening disposed in a bottom portion thereof and at least a bottom pontoon air conduit port disposed in a top portion thereof. A plurality of top pontoons are fixedly mounted to a top side of the support frame. Each top pontoon includes at least an opening disposed in a bottom portion thereof and at least a top pontoon air conduit port disposed in a top portion thereof. A bottom air supply conduit system is connected to the at least a bottom pontoon air conduit port of each bottom pontoon. The bottom air supply conduit system includes at least an air supply valve for controlling air flow therethrough and a connector adapted for being connected to a pressurized air supply. At least a top pontoon air valve is connected to the at least a top pontoon air conduit port of each top pontoon. The at least a top pontoon air valve enables controlling ambient air flow therethrough.

The invention pertains to fabrication of gravity-based structures (GBS) and can be used as part of development of various kinds of near-shore and offshore production (including natural gas liquefaction, ammonia, methanol, hydrogen production, and power generation), transportation, transshipment, and storage facilities. The GBS production method is as follows: a reinforcement cage is assembled for a rectangular base slab, formwork is installed and the base slab is then concreted. As separate sections of the base slab are concreted, reinforcement cages for inner and outer walls are assembled and concreted by slipforming. As separate wall sections are concreted, a reinforcement cage for a top slab is assembled, formwork is installed and then the top slab is concreted and the top slab and base slab, as well as inner and outer walls are post-tensioned with reinforcement strands. The feature of the method is that GBS is fabricated, including a central part and protruding part that have a common base slab. The inner and outer walls as well as the top slab are concreted for the central part of GBS, that takes form of a rectangular prism. As separate sections of outer walls of the central part are concreted, a reinforcement cage is assembled, formwork is installed and concreting is performed for inner and outer walls of the GBS protruding part, the outer walls of which are made along the perimeter of the base slab, and at the same time the height of the outer walls of the protruding part is lower than the height of the outer walls of the central part. As separate wall sections of the protruding part are concreted, a reinforcement cage is assembled and formwork is installed for a top slab of the protruding part and then concreted. The base and top slabs of the central part, as well as the inner and outer walls of the central part and protruding part are post-tensioned as the top slabs of the central part and protruding part are concreted and the concrete of the post-tensioned structures is cured. A protruding part adds to buoyancy of the GBS and the entire structure, as well as reduces its submersion during transportation to an installation site.

A lightweight, efficient, autonomous sub-surface water data profiler (10) that can be easily programmed and deployed to collect sample data at a variety of water depths is disclosed. The profiler is a unique, simple-to-use, low-cost design with a low-cost depth control system that allows several dive / surface trips, an Android graphical interface for Bluetooth programming and a deployable antenna for retrieval after completing its mission. The collected data is achieved using an open-source Android interface and Bluetooth programming using Android and longer-range radio communications with a deployable antenna. The profiler is usable by anyone with a deep pond, lake, ocean or even a pool that they would like to monitor.

Described is a multi-use offshore structure having a first configuration and a second configuration. The first configuration includes a pontoon base disposed at a lower end of the multi-use offshore structure. A deck is disposed at an upper end of the multi-use offshore structure, and hull column structures extend between the pontoon base and the deck. The second configuration includes the pontoon base, the deck, and the hull column structures of the first configuration. A set of sponsons is formed to be installed on the hull column structures, and a deck expansion unit is connectable with the deck.

A semi-submersible floating structure providing a rotatable or extendable solar panel array giving quadruple the solar collecting area compared to the supporting structure. The solar panels are deployed and retracted by either electric motors, or with the aid of ballast tanks which are filled and emptied in sequence. The panels can be retracted when severe offshore weather conditions are encountered. A hydrogen generation plant based on an electrolysis system is also provided with a compression offtake or power generated is directly stored in battery energy storage system.

The present disclosure provides a cleaning device and a cleaning device system. The cleaning device includes a cleaning device body. The cleaning device body includes a filtering mechanism, a drive mechanism, an adjustment assembly, a moving assembly, and a propulsion assembly. The filtering mechanism is at least partially disposed inside the cleaning device body. The drive mechanism is configured to generate a suction force to drive liquid to flow through the at least one filtering mechanism. The adjustment assembly is configured to adjust an action force applied to the cleaning device in a first direction or a second direction, so that the cleaning device is switched between a first motion state and a third motion state. The moving assembly is disposed at the bottom of the cleaning device body and configured to drive the cleaning device to move on a to-be-cleaned surface. The propulsion assembly is configured to drive the cleaning device to move away from the to-be-cleaned surface. The cleaning device can be switched between the first motion state and the third motion state to perform underwater cleaning and water surface cleaning to meet different use requirements.

The present disclosure provides a cleaning device and a cleaning device system. The cleaning device includes a cleaning device body including a filtering mechanism; a drive mechanism configured to generate a suction force to drive liquid to flow through the filtering mechanism and including at least a main water pump motor; a moving assembly configured to drive the cleaning device to move on a to-be-cleaned surface and including at least a movement drive motor; and a first sealed cavity configured to accommodate at least the main water pump motor and the movement drive motor. The filtering mechanism is disposed in front of the first sealed cavity along a forward direction in which the cleaning device performs cleaning. The cleaning device body further includes: a buoyancy adjustment assembly configured to at least implement switching of the cleaning device from a second motion state to a third motion state.

The present invention discloses a floating fan foundation, a floating fan, a typhoon protection method and a wind power generation method. The floating fan foundation includes a tower foundation, a plurality of floats installed around the tower foundation, and a telescopic expansion mechanism, each float corresponds to one telescopic expansion mechanism, the telescopic expansion mechanism includes a hydraulic jack and a folding hinge, both ends of the hydraulic jack are hinged to the tower foundation and the float respectively, the folding hinge includes a plurality of mutually hinged folding arms, and both ends of the folding hinge are hinged to the tower foundation and the float respectively. The floating fan foundation provided by the present invention can improve the connection stability between the float and the tower foundation through the folding hinge, and can realize the deployment and expansion of the float through the extension and contraction of the hydraulic jack, which can meet the demands of typhoon protection while reducing the redundancy of the floating fan foundation and reducing the manufacturing cost of the wind power generation unit, compared with the conventional floating foundation.

A marine boom system includes at least one HDPE marine boom with an axial passage for mounting on a chain and a chain stop. The boom includes a shell defining a cavity with watertight caps having central apertures on the ends. An axial passageway pipe is disposed longitudinally along a center axis, and extends through the apertures and beyond the ends of the shell. A floatation billet is disposed within the shell. A chain is disposed in the axial passageway pipe and extends beyond the ends of the axial passageway pipe. The stop including at least one assembly piece may be fastened to the chain and disposed within an end of the pipe. The assembly piece includes a semi-cylindrical main body with passageway formed therein and has a protrusion about one passageway and a recess about another. A flange and a link saddle extend from the main body.

The present disclosure provides a pool cleaning robot, including: a dust box including a dust box opening. The dust box opening includes: an in-water dust box opening provided on a bottom of the dust box. A process of switching the pool cleaning robot from moving on a bottom wall of a pool to floating on a liquid surface includes at least the following: the pool cleaning robot is first switched from moving on the bottom wall of the pool to moving on a side wall of the pool, and the pool cleaning robot subsequently moves on the side wall of the pool toward the liquid surface; and when the pool cleaning robot moves close to the liquid surface or at least partially above the liquid surface, the pool cleaning robot is switched from being against the side wall of the pool to floating on the liquid surface.

Described herein are examples of buoyancy supplements. A buoyancy supplement may include a system including a front flotation portion including a front deck having a front surface, a rear flotation portion including a rear deck having a rear surface. One or both front and rear surfaces having an accessory attachment point, a through-hole substantially parallel to the front or rear surface, a mounting apparatus, a tie-down anchor, and a first and second runner each having a first end configured to attach to the front flotation portion and a second end configured to attach to the rear flotation portion. The front flotation portion and the rear flotation portion may be configured to attach to a float tube.

The present application relates to a floating-type wind turbine floating body, a wind turbine generator system and a control method. The floating-type wind turbine floating body includes: a main column, configured to support a tower; a plurality of first connecting bodies, wherein the plurality of first connecting bodies are arranged at intervals in a circumferential direction of the main column and are connected to the main column respectively; a plurality of auxiliary columns, wherein the plurality of auxiliary columns are distributed at intervals in the circumferential direction, and one end of each of the first connecting bodies facing away from the main column is connected to a corresponding auxiliary column of the auxiliary columns; wherein each of the auxiliary columns has a first static chamber and a first dynamic chamber that are independently arranged, a first medium is enclosed within the first static chamber, each of the auxiliary columns is provided with a first opening connected to the first dynamic chamber and a first control valve, and the first control valve controls opening and closing of the first opening to adjust a volume of the seawater entering the first dynamic chamber. According to the floating-type wind turbine floating body, wind turbine generator system and control method provided in the embodiments of the present application, the floating-type wind turbine floating body has a fast response speed and a good stability effect.

A water buoy data system stabilizes an offshore vessel. Water buoys sense wind characteristics and water characteristics at a location of the vessel. The water buoys wirelessly transfer data messages that indicate the wind characteristics and water characteristics at the location of the vessel for delivery to a computer system. The computer system receives the data messages wirelessly transferred by the water buoys that indicate the wind characteristics and the water characteristics at the location of the vessel. The computer system determines wave forces based on the wind characteristics and the water characteristics at the location of the vessel. The computer system indicates the wave forces to control vessel engine thrusters to counter the wave forces and stabilize the vessel.

A marine boom system includes at least one HDPE marine boom with an axial passage for mounting on a chain and a chain stop. The boom includes a shell defining a cavity with watertight caps having central apertures on the ends. An axial passageway pipe is disposed longitudinally along a center axis, and extends through the apertures and beyond the ends of the shell. A floatation billet is disposed within the shell. A chain is disposed in the axial passageway pipe and extends beyond the ends of the axial passageway pipe. The stop including at least one assembly piece may be fastened to the chain and disposed within an end of the pipe. The assembly piece includes a semi-cylindrical main body with passageway formed therein and has a protrusion about one passageway and a recess about another. A flange and a link saddle extend from the main body.

A variable buoyancy platform is provided. The variable buoyancy platform comprises a support frame having a plurality of bottom pontoons fixedly mounted to a bottom side thereof. Each bottom pontoon comprises at least an opening disposed in a bottom portion thereof and at least a bottom pontoon air conduit port disposed in a top portion thereof. A plurality of top pontoons is fixedly mounted to a top side of the support frame. Each top pontoon comprises at least an opening disposed in a bottom portion thereof and at least a top pontoon air conduit port disposed in a top portion thereof. A bottom air supply conduit system is connected to the at least a bottom pontoon air conduit port of each bottom pontoon. The bottom air supply conduit system comprises at least an air supply valve for controlling air flow therethrough and a connector adapted for being connected to a pressurized air supply. At least a top pontoon air valve is connected to the at least a top pontoon air conduit port of each top pontoon. The at least a top pontoon air valve enables controlling ambient air flow therethrough.

Described is a multi-use offshore structure having a first configuration and a second configuration. The first configuration includes a pontoon base disposed at a lower end of the multi-use offshore structure. A deck is disposed at an upper end of the multi-use offshore structure, and hull column structures extend between the pontoon base and the deck. The second configuration includes the pontoon base, the deck, and the hull column structures of the first configuration. A set of sponsons is formed to be installed on the hull column structures, and a deck expansion unit is connectable with the deck.

In a water buoy, a power system generates electrical energy from water kinetics and transfers the electrical energy to a sensor array, processing circuitry, and communication interface. In the water buoy, the sensor array detects buoy locations, water velocities, water velocity directions, and wind speeds. In the water buoy, the processing circuitry aggregates the detected buoy locations, the detected water velocities, the detected water velocity directions, and the detected wind speeds into data messages. In the water buoy, the communication interface wirelessly transfers the data messages for delivery to a computer system.

This invention discloses a floating wind turbine foundation, a floating wind turbine, a typhoon-resistant method, and a wind power generation method. The floating wind turbine foundation includes a tower foundation; multiple pontoons surrounding the tower foundation; and a telescopic extension mechanism, with each pontoon corresponding to one telescopic extension mechanism. The telescopic extension mechanism includes hydraulic jacks and folding hinges. The two ends of the hydraulic jacks are hinged to the tower foundation and the pontoons, respectively. The folding hinges include multiple hinged folding arms, with both ends hinged to the tower foundation and the pontoons. The floating wind turbine foundation provided by this invention can improve the connection stability between the pontoons and the tower foundation through the folding hinges, and achieve the expansion and contraction of the pontoons through the extension and contraction of the hydraulic jacks. Compared with traditional floating foundations, it meets typhoon-resistant requirements while reducing the redundancy of the floating wind turbine foundation and lowering the manufacturing cost of the wind turbine unit.

The present invention provides an apparatus, method and system for utilizing commercial cargo containers. The present invention utilizes containers made autonomous by coupling a container with a detachable propulsion system, having a motor and navigation and steering controls, permitting the rapid, controlled, efficient and safe delivery of cargo containers individually by water. Ballast units, deployment systems and control via remote units are also disclosed. The containers, utilizing their inherent buoyancy, can move autonomously according to a preplanned or remote controlled route to a specific location.

A buoyancy control system is disclosed. In an embodiment the buoyancy control system comprises a housing which sealably encloses an interior, a bore located within the interior, a piston fitted within the bore, and an actuator operatively associated with the piston. The bore has a first chamber in fluid communication with an opening in the housing and a second chamber in fluid communication with a void in the interior. The piston is configured to sealably separate the first chamber from the second chamber. The actuator is operatively associated with the piston and configured to control the position of the piston along the bore to vary the volume of the first chamber and the volume of the second chamber in indirect proportion. Also disclosed is an underwater vessel including a buoyancy control system and a method of controlling the buoyancy of the underwater vessel when operating in a surrounding water.

This disclosure relates to an unmoored floating wind turbine system comprising a connecting structure that bears one or more wind turbines, and at least three hulls or topological concentrations of buoyancy-force, wherein the connecting structure is configured to transmit moments and forces between the at least three hulls and the one or more wind turbines, and at least two lifting surfaces, such as foils and / or keels and / or fins and / or hulls, wherein the at least two lifting surfaces have separately controllable orientations relative to the structure for controlling a course direction of the unmoored floating wind turbine system and for controlling a heading of the connecting structure independently from the course direction.