Ocean Bottom Node Removable Acoustic Pinger Housing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current ocean bottom nodes for seismic data acquisition face challenges such as inflexible and costly designs due to permanently integrated acoustic pingers, issues with pinger placement and attachment, varying autonomy requirements for different water depths, and limitations in mechanical strength and sensor support for low-frequency signals.
Innovation Solution
The ocean bottom node features a compounded housing with a removable acoustic pinger housing and a strength plate to support microelectromechanical sensors, allowing for selective attachment of a pinger or additional battery pack, and a connecting mechanism adaptable to different deployment methods, ensuring accurate positioning and extended autonomy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the acoustic pinger is permanently locked inside the housing of the node, then the node structure is simplified and sealed, but the flexibility to remove or replace the pinger is lost and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a sealed main housing and a separate open pinger housing that can be selectively attached or removed. This segmentation allows the main housing to remain simple and sealed while the pinger housing provides the necessary adaptability for removable pingers.
Solution Approach 2:
The open pinger housing serves multiple functions: it allows acoustic signals to emit freely when attached, can be removed when not needed, and provides a standardized interface for different pinger types. This universal design resolves the contradiction between structural simplicity and adaptability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the acoustic pinger is attached with a cable to the node, then the pinger can be positioned flexibly, but the pinger may land in undesirable positions such as into the sand or under the node
Solution Approach 1:
The pinger is pre-positioned within the open pinger housing in a fixed, predetermined orientation before deployment. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the node lands, the pinger maintains its correct orientation and cannot end up in undesirable positions like sand or under the node.
Solution Approach 2:
The open pinger housing acts as an intermediary structure that holds the pinger in the correct position during deployment and landing. It provides mechanical support and positional control, mediating between the flexible cable attachment and the need for stable pinger positioning.
3Device complexity
If the acoustic pinger is fully incorporated inside the housing of the node, then the node structure is simplified, but the acoustic signal generation is negatively impacted by the thick housing material
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into a sealed main housing for electronics and an open pinger housing that allows acoustic signals to propagate freely. This segmentation eliminates the harmful effect of thick housing material on acoustic signals while maintaining the structural benefits of a sealed housing.
Solution Approach 2:
The pinger is extracted from the sealed housing environment and placed in an open pinger housing that is acoustically transparent. This extraction removes the constraint of thick housing material that would otherwise attenuate the acoustic signal.
4Adaptability or versatility
If manual attachment of the pinger to nodes is performed on the mother vessel, then the pinger can be selectively placed on desired nodes, but the process is time consuming and prone to mistakes
Solution Approach 1:
The open pinger housings are pre-assembled and ready-to-attach units that can be quickly connected to nodes without manual assembly. This preliminary preparation significantly reduces the time and potential for errors during the attachment process while maintaining selective placement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment mechanism is designed to be dynamically adjustable and easily reconfigurable, allowing rapid attachment and detachment of pinger housings. This dynamic design enables quick selective placement on desired nodes without time-consuming manual assembly.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enables flexible configuration based on survey requirements, improved acoustic signal emission, enhanced mechanical strength, and effective low-frequency signal detection, reducing operational complexity and increasing efficiency in seismic data acquisition.
Implementation Method 1
an acoustic pinger 112, which is configured to send an acoustic signal
Implementation Method 2
a hydrophone 104 for detecting a pressure wave
Implementation Method 3
The seismic source 122 is configured to generate seismic waves 124. The seismic waves 124 propagate into the subsurface 126 and get reflected and/or refracted at various interfaces 128
Data Source
AI summary
An ocean bottom node for collecting seismic data, the ocean bottom node including a compounded housing including an electronics housing and a pinger housing, electronics located inside the electronics housing, and a battery pack configured to supply electrical power to the electronics. The pinger housing is permanently open to an ambient water while the electronics housing is sealed from the ambient water, and the pinger housing is configured to selectively and directly attach to the electronics housing.