Pressure Tolerant Seismic Source With Liquid-Filled Chamber
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seismic sources for deep water surveys face challenges in generating low-frequency acoustic energy due to high hydrostatic pressure, leading to poor penetration and signal loss in deep water environments.
Innovation Solution
A pressure-tolerant seismic source with a housing having two chambers, where an electromagnetic coil in one chamber drives a piston plate in the other chamber filled with liquid, minimizing signal loss by propagating pressure pulses through the liquid and into the surrounding environment, maintaining low-frequency signal integrity across varying depths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional seismic sources are used in deep water, then the device can operate at depth, but low-frequency acoustic energy generation is poor due to high hydrostatic pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a liquid-filled sealed chamber as an intermediary medium between the electromagnetic coil and the surrounding water. This liquid medium (with acoustic impedance matched to water) serves as a pressure-compensating interface that transmits low-frequency acoustic energy effectively while isolating the internal components from external hydrostatic pressure variations, thereby maintaining reliable low-frequency signal generation at depth
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical state and pressure parameters by creating a sealed, pressurized internal environment filled with liquid. The chamber maintains a pressure differential between its interior and the external water environment, allowing the seismic source to operate at various depths while the internal liquid medium remains in a controlled pressure state optimal for low-frequency acoustic energy transmission
2Temperature
If conventional seismic sources operate at great depths, then deep water survey is possible, but signal attenuation increases and penetration is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The liquid-filled sealed chamber acts as an intermediary that reduces signal loss by providing an acoustic impedance-matched interface. The liquid medium efficiently couples the piston plate's mechanical motion to the surrounding water, minimizing energy reflection and transmission losses at the interface, thereby reducing overall signal attenuation during deep water operation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces conventional mechanical coupling mechanisms with an acoustic field-based transmission system using the liquid medium. The electromagnetic coil generates acoustic energy that propagates through the liquid-filled chamber and couples to the surrounding water via acoustic pressure waves, eliminating mechanical friction and contact losses associated with traditional sealed mechanisms
3Reliability
If a sealed chamber filled with liquid is used, then low-frequency signal integrity is maintained, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into the single liquid-filled sealed chamber structure: it serves as the acoustic transmission medium, the pressure compensation mechanism, and the coupling interface to surrounding water. This integration reduces the number of separate components needed and simplifies the overall device architecture while maintaining low-frequency signal integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid-filled chamber performs multiple functions simultaneously: it provides acoustic impedance matching for efficient energy transmission, compensates for pressure variations at different depths, and serves as the coupling interface between the internal electromagnetic mechanism and external water environment. This multi-functionality reduces device complexity by eliminating the need for separate systems for each function
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
The solution effectively transfers low-frequency acoustic energy into deep water environments with reduced attenuation, providing consistent and reliable geological data independent of water depth.
Implementation Method 1
an electromagnetic coil for generating an electromagnetic pulse
Implementation Method 2
a piston plate movable by said electromagnetic pulse for generating a pulse of acoustical energy in the water
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The present invention relates to a pressure tolerant seismic source (1) for deep water survey comprising: an electromagnetic coil (2) for generating an electromagnetic pulse, a piston plate (4) movable by said electromagnetic pulse, and a housing (6) with a first chamber (8) and a second chamber (10) separated by each other via a common bulkhead arrangement (12), wherein the coil (2) is arranged within the first chamber (8) and the piston plate (4) arranged within the second chamber (10), wherein the second chamber (10) is at least partly filled with a liquid (14) coupled to the plate (4) so that due to movement of the plate (4) at least one pressure pulse is generated traveling through the liquid (14) within said second chamber (10).