2016results about "Hulls" patented technology

A system includes a UV light source and an optical medium coupled to receive UV light from the UV light source. The optical medium is configured to emit UV light proximate to a surface to be protected from biofouling. A method corresponds to the system.

A floating wind turbine platform includes a floatation frame (105) that includes three columns (102, 103) that are coupled to each other with horizontal main beams (115). A wind turbine tower (111) is mounted above a tower support column (102) to simplify the system construction and improve the structural strength. The turbine blades (101) are coupled to a nacelle (125) that rotates on top of the tower (111). The turbine's gearbox generator and other electrical gear can be mounted either traditionally in the nacelle, or lower in the tower (111) or in the top of the tower-supporting column (102). The floatation frame (105) includes a water ballasting system that pumps water between the columns (102, 103) to keep the tower (111) in a 10 vertical alignment regardless of the wind speed. Water-entrapment plates (107) are mounted to the bottoms of the columns (102, 103) to minimize the rotational movement of the floatation frame (105) due to waves.

A hull cleaning robot includes at least one cleaning apparatus for cleaning the hull of a vessel, at least one drive track holding the robot on the hull as the robot maneuvers about the hull, and at least one turbine actuatable by water flowing past the hull for operating the at least one drive track and, optionally, the cleaning apparatus.

A system includes a UV light source and an optical medium coupled to receive UV light from the UV light source. The optical medium is configured to emit UV light proximate to a surface from which biofouling is to be removed once the biofouling has adhered to the protected surface. A method corresponds to the system.

A chassis clings to a ship hull or other ferrous surface by a magnet that moves toward or away from the surface to adjust the magnet air gap and thus the attractive force. The magnet(s) can be the only clinging force or used with other sources such as a suction chamber or fluid jet drive. An internal magnet on a crank mechanism can pivot around a wheel rotation axis inside a wheel body having a non-ferrous traction surface or tire. The magnet gap is least at an angle perpendicular to the surface on which the wheel rests, and larger at an angle oblique to that, for varying the attractive force to two or more levels. The vehicle can be an autonomous hull maintenance device with sensors, controllers and actuators to sense, measure and clean away fouling.

The present invention provides an apparatus and a method to prevent biofouling of underwater optical systems using ultraviolet light generated from within a pressure vessel and through an optics window, without removing the optical systems from the water and without disbursement of chemicals into the water.

A surface traveling mobile apparatus which moves by an endless track belt installed to be wrapped around a case from end to end, traveling on a surface by the rotation of wheels driven by a power source is provided. The surface traveling mobile apparatus includes vacuum chambers installed to be attached to the sides of the wheels, a vacuum tube for connecting the vacuum chambers to each other, a vacuum pump formed in part of the vacuum tube, the vacuum pump for inhaling and exhausting air, and suction mechanisms installed along the endless track belt at predetermined intervals, valve driven by contacting the wheels, and vacuum attached to the surface by the vacuum pump inhaling and exhausting air. Also, a cleaning apparatus including a spray unit for spraying water or wash liquid to the surface when the surface traveling mobile apparatus moves, and a rotating brush for washing the surface using the sprayed liquid, are provided. Accordingly, the surface traveling apparatus and the cleaning apparatus using the same can freely travel a plane, an inclined plane, a vertical plane, and a ceiling and thus, can clean areas which are not easily cleaned by people, such as windows or high buildings and high ceilings.

A boat trim tab system having an automatic controller for positioning trim tabs to perform user selected preset functions or maintain previously used positions in response to real time operating conditions. The system is intended to be a stand alone system that is installed on a boat using a master control module to operate the trim tabs and a manual keypad to provide a user interface to the master control module. The system gathers real time data from a variety of onboard sources and uses the data to determine the optimal position of the trim tabs to enhance boat performance.

The invention concerns a surface traversing apparatus that includes a frame, a seal having a seal perimeter that is mounted to the frame, and a drive configured to move the apparatus relative to the surface. The seal perimeter is adapted substantially for rolling contact with the surface to be traversed. The device is capable of suction adhering and moving along horizontal, vertical, inverted surfaces and the like, and overcoming obstacles or surface irregularities while maintaining suction adhesion to the surface. The device can be propelled along the surface with a locomoting rolling seal assembly, which provides both a seal to affect the vacuum adhesion and the locomotion to drive the device across the surface.

Disclosed are marine coating compositions that are useful to inhibit the fouling of a marine structure by a broad spectrum of organisms. Generally, the marine coating composition comprises an antifouling agent and an organic vehicle.

A wind turbine includes a rotor having a hub and at least one rotor blade, wherein the operating height of the hub is adjustable. Further, a method for operating a wind turbine is provided, which includes varying the height of the wind turbine.

The invention discloses a robot for cleaning a composite adsorption ship body, relates to the field of machinery, and aims to provide a composite adsorption mode combining magnetic adsorption with propeller adsorption for the current robot for cleaning a ship body. The robot comprises a rack, three cleaning brushes, a motor and a travelling mechanism, wherein the front part of the rack is provided with the cleaning brushes and the motor, and the two sides of the rack are provided with the travelling mechanism; the rack is also provided with a propeller and anti-dumping magnetic wheels; the propeller is arranged in the middle of the rack and is connected with the motor; the anti-dumping magnetic wheels are arranged at the rear part of the rack; the travelling mechanism comprises two crawler attachments and is driven by the motor, and outer sides of the crawler belts are provided with magnets; and the outer circumference of the anti-dumping magnetic wheels are provided with magnets, and the upper part of the anti-dumping magnetic wheels are provided with bearings. The robot has the beneficial effect that the underwater part and overwater part of the ship body can be completely cleaned.

A method is disclosed that resolves a long-standing seafaring problem of how close to the wind to sail. Sailboats need a convenient way to determine the optimal heading to minimize the Tacking Time to Destination (TTD). Unlike Velocity Made Good (VMG), the method disclosed here allows route planning before the trip, predicts travel time on different points of sail, allows comparison of the optimal tacking routes, and also plots the different routes so that it is inherently obvious that a particular tacking angle is longer and more off-course but will arrive sooner because of the speed on that heading. These principles can be implemented with manual dials that define the distance and speed, to calculate the relative or actual travel time on a leg without using electronics. Software is also described that visually illustrates the current and optimal headings by calculating Tacking Time to Destination before departure.

An antifouling paint composition comprising an enzyme, such as endopeptidase, Subtilisin (EC 3.4.21.62) and Alcalase(R), and a rosin compound, wherein the enzyme is effective to reduce or prevent fouling by aquatic organisms of a surface coated with the composition. Also disclosed is a method for preventing fouling of a surface by aquatic organisms.

An antifouling coating composition comprising (A) a silyl ester copolymer containing constituent units derived from a polymerizable unsaturated carboxylic acid silyl ester; (B) a carboxylic acid; (C) a bivalent or trivalent metal compound; and (D) a dehydrating agent. It is preferred that the component (C) be contained in an amount of 1.2 equivalents or more, in terms of the number of equivalents of metal as a constituent of the component (C), per equivalent of carboxyl group of the carboxylic acid (B); that the component (C) be a bivalent metal compound; and that the component (C) be a compound of at least one metal selected from the group consisting of zinc, copper, magnesium, calcium and barium. From the antifouling coating composition, there can be obtained an antifouling coating film which exhibits less cracking tendency, excellent adherence so as to ensure less peeling tendency and desirably controlled hydrolysis rate so as to be excellent in antifouling performance, in particular, antifouling properties in highly fouling environment and long-term antifouling properties. With respect to the provided antifouling coating composition, its storage stability is high, its concentration can be increased, the amount of solvent used therefor can be reduced, and its applicability is high.

A method for obtaining warranty registration of products, facilitating return of lost products, and expediting warranty service on defective products comprising providing a unique identifier on or within each product; providing a lost and found system comprising the steps of marking each product with return instructions and a reward offer to any person who finds said product after it has been lost; and offering to return each product to a registered owner in the event said product is lost and returned by said person who finds it if said owner provides data comprising owner identification and date said product was purchased at retail; providing said data to a manufacturer or other warrantor in order to register said warranty.

A method for obtaining warranty registration of products, facilitating return of lost products, and expediting warranty service on defective products comprising providing a unique identifier on or within each product; providing a lost and found system comprising the steps of marking each product with return instructions and a reward offer to any person who finds said product after it has been lost; and offering to return each product to a registered owner in the event said product is lost and returned by said person who finds it if said owner provides data comprising owner identification and date said product was purchased at retail; providing said data to a manufacturer or other warrantor in order to register said warranty.

A vehicle traveling through an environmental media such as air experiences drag. The drag is actively modulated by energy beams which may either increase or decrease the drag. The energy beams may provide either a chemical, acoustic or electromagnetic energy at a transition region between turbulent and laminar flows or at the leading edge of a laminar flow or in the direction of a crosswind in order to facilitate the respective increase or decrease in drag. If the vehicle is a sailing ship, areas of the sails are selectively roughened or widened to enhance the thrust derived from the wind. Furthermore, the keel or hull of the sailing ship may be modified to improve the hydrodynamic characteristics of the sailing ship. If the vehicle is an automobile, the tires or road surface may be selectively heated to improve the traction of the automobile. Furthermore, the energy beams may be used to facilitate atomization of the air / fuel mixture prior to combustion in an internal combustion engine thereby improving the thrust of provided to the vehicle. Energy beams may be used to generate virtual extensions of a vehicle to enhance traveling efficiency.

Disclosed is a flow-driven antifouling device for a seismic marine streamer cable. A cylindrical housing is circumferentially mounted to a submerged, circular cable. Fluid flow over the cable provides motive power to rotate the device around the outer surface of the cable, preventing barnacles, marine growth and other fouling accumulation. Interior wheels contact the cable outer surface to disrupt fouling growth and control the direction of travel along the length of the cable. Radially-protruding vanes utilize the local fluid flow over the cable to apply a rotation to the device, powering its movement. The orientation of the inner wheels determines corkscrew direction, allowing forward and aft travel along the cable. Continuous and uninterrupted motion prevents fouling development, which improves the fidelity of seismic sensors and decreases drag on the cable.

Ballast water treatment apparatus and methods for preventing foreign aquatic invasive species form entering marine ecological zones by translocation in ship's ballast water. The apparatus includes a housing, a filter member, and UV water treatment chambers. Methods include use of a ship's fire hydrant system or ballast water discharge port for moving ballast water from the ship's ballast tanks into the apparatus for filtration and treatment. In-port service vessels and barges as well as dock-side service vehicles are equipped with the various treatment and filtration apparatus to provided in-port or dock-side ballast water treatment services. Related methods are also provided.

The present invention relates to an apparatus for treating ballast water, the apparatus being capable of treating ballast water so as to meet the ballast water standard established by the IMO exactly at low costs. The treatment apparatus of the present invention comprises a filter (4) that filters sea water to trap aquatic organisms, a bactericide supply apparatus (5) that supplies bactericide to the filtrate sea water, and a venturi tube 7 that introduces the sea water to which the bactericide is added, to produce cavitation in the sea water, thereby diffusing the bactericide and also damaging and destroying aquatic organisms in the sea water.

The invention is suitable for the technical field of ship rust removing and washing, and provides a water jetting washing device. The water jetting washing device aims at solving the technical problem that the angles of washing nozzles in a ship rust removing and washing device in the prior art can not be adjusted. The water jetting washing device comprises a high-pressure water pipe assembly, a plurality of nozzles and a rotating assembly which is connected to the high-pressure water pipe assembly and used for driving the high-pressure water pipe assembly to rotate. The high-pressure water pipe assembly comprises a main water pipe connected with the rotating assembly and a plurality of branch water pipes communicated with the main water pipe and each provided with at least one nozzle. The water jetting washing device further comprises adjustment assemblies connected between the main water pipe and the branch water pipes to adjust the jetting angles of the branch water pipes relative to the nozzles. According to the water jetting washing device, as the nozzles are arranged on the branch water pipes, and the jetting angles of the nozzles are adjusted through the adjustment assemblies, the nozzles can conduct washing work and rust removing work at any angle, washing work and rust removing work under different working conditions can be achieved, and the washing effect and the rust removing effect are greatly improved.

Internal electrode layers are superimposed in a dielectric substrate 1 at intervals. Step absorption layers are respectively provided on lateral sides of the internal electrode layers. A side portion of the internal electrode layer forms an inclined surface, and the step absorption layer is superimposed so as to partially overlap the inclined surface of the internal electrode layer. This is also applied to the other internal electrode layers and step absorption layers.

A mobile robot for cleaning, stripping, reconditioning or refurbishing a coating on a metal work piece has a remote controlled power module for locomotion and a working head for removing the coating. The robot is held on the metal work piece by magnets mounted on the robot but spaced from the work piece.

Apparatus for disinfecting fluid, the apparatus including a preheat heat exchanger (4) and a disinfection tank (5). The preheat exchanger heats the fluid to a first temperature and includes a first inlet for receiving the fluid (2), a first outlet for supplying preheated fluid at the first temperature, a second inlet for receiving disinfected fluid substantially at a second temperature and a second outlet for supplying the disinfected fluid (3). The disinfection tank heats the fluid to a second temperature and includes a heat source (10), an inlet for receiving the preheated fluid, a heat exchanger coupled to the inlet for heating the preheated fluid to a second temperature to thereby disinfect the fluid (11) and, an outlet coupled to the heat exchanger for providing the disinfected fluid to the second inlet of the preheat heat exchanger.

A modular apparatus for supporting and guiding a tool such as an ultra-high pressure water jet along a work surface, including a contour following assembly attached to a motorized lift vehicle. The contour following assembly includes a gimbals assembly with an instrument or tool carriage assembly, a positioning assembly that urges the gimbals assembly and the instrument carriage against the surface, and, optionally, a hydraulic, mechanical, or pneumatic pressure system that applies pressure to the positioning assembly. A scissors lift, hydraulic lift, telescoping arm, or other suitable device raises and lowers the apparatus. In operation, the gimbals assembly and the positioning assembly cooperate to maintain the instrument carriage in a user-selected position with respect to a work surface such as a ship hull, aircraft fuselage, storage tank, or the like. Depending on the type of tool selected, the apparatus may be used for cleaning or stripping surface coatings, buffing, painting, washing, and so forth. The apparatus is mobile, compact, cost-effective, and can be operated by a single operator.