Seismic Baseplate External Dampeners for Harmonic Distortion Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seismic exploration systems using vibrating baseplates suffer from harmonic distortion, decoupling, and baseplate flexure, leading to inaccurate seismic signals and potential structural failures, as existing solutions like stiffer baseplates only shift the ringing issue to different frequency bands and are not cost-effective.
Innovation Solution
The use of external dampeners, such as elastomeric materials, secured to the baseplate to reduce undesirable harmonics, ringing, and flexure, enhancing source point coupling and improving seismic signal accuracy by dampening the vibratory energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the baseplate is made stiffer to reduce flexure and improve signal accuracy, then manufacturing precision and signal accuracy improve, but the device complexity increases and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary damping element (viscoelastic material layer) between the baseplate and the ground surface. This intermediary layer absorbs harmful vibrations and reduces baseplate flexure without requiring the baseplate itself to be made stiffer or more complex, thereby improving signal accuracy while maintaining simple baseplate construction
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical parameters of the coupling system by introducing a viscoelastic material with specific damping properties. This material layer modifies the mechanical coupling between the baseplate and ground, reducing harmful vibrations and flexure through its inherent damping characteristics rather than increasing baseplate stiffness
2Measurement precision
If the baseplate is made stiffer to reduce ringing and harmonics, then measurement precision improves, but the harmful factors are shifted to different frequency bands rather than eliminated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful ringing and harmonic vibrations of the baseplate into beneficial damping effects by introducing a viscoelastic material layer. This layer absorbs the harmful vibrational energy and dissipates it as heat, transforming the baseplate's harmful resonant behavior into a beneficial damping mechanism that reduces overall vibrations
Solution Approach 2:
The viscoelastic material layer acts as an intermediary between the baseplate and ground, absorbing harmful vibrations and preventing them from being transmitted into the ground. This intermediary layer effectively eliminates baseplate ringing and harmonics without requiring changes to the baseplate structure itself
3Reliability
If external dampeners are added to reduce baseplate flexure and improve coupling, then reliability and signal accuracy improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the coupling system into distinct functional layers: a rigid baseplate structure and a separate viscoelastic damping layer. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally - the baseplate provides structural support while the damping layer provides vibration reduction - without requiring the entire assembly to be more complex
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite material construction by combining a rigid baseplate material with a viscoelastic damping material in a layered configuration. This composite structure leverages the advantageous properties of both materials - the rigidity of the baseplate and the damping characteristics of the viscoelastic layer - to achieve improved reliability and coupling without excessive complexity
4Measurement precision
If the baseplate is designed to reduce decoupling and improve source point coupling, then measurement precision improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The viscoelastic material layer serves as an intermediary coupling element between the baseplate and ground surface. This intermediary provides consistent mechanical contact and improves source point coupling by conforming to the ground surface while maintaining stable vibrational transmission, thereby improving measurement precision without complex coupling mechanisms
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 external dampeners effectively reduce seismic noise and signal distortions, allowing for higher resolution seismic surveys that reach greater depths with improved coupling and reduced risk of structural failure, while maintaining operational efficiency across various frequency ranges.
Implementation Method 1
an external dampener secured to the lower surface of the baseplate... to reduce undesirable harmonics, ringing, and flexure
Implementation Method 2
The external dampeners, such as elastomeric materials, secured to the baseplate to reduce undesirable harmonics
Implementation Method 3
impart vibratory energy to the baseplate... to propagate seismic waves through the external dampener in the subterranean formation
Implementation Method 4
inducing seismic vibrations into an elastic medium
Implementation Method 5
Since the inertia of the reaction mass tends to resist displacement of the reaction mass relative to the earth, the motion of the piston is coupled through the piston rod and baseplate to impart vibratory seismic energy in the earth
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for inducing seismic vibrations into subterranean formations. Seismic transducers may comprise a frame, a reaction mass, a driver, and a baseplate. The driver actuates the reaction mass, imparting a vibratory energy to the baseplate. This vibratory energy is then imparted directly to the ground surface to propagate seismic waves into the formation. These seismic waves are then reflected by subsurface geological features. The reflected seismic waves may then be detected and interpreted by seismic detectors to reveal seismic information representative of the surveyed region. An external dampener may be secured to the baseplate, which provide, among other benefits, a damping effect to the baseplate. Advantages include, reduced undesirable baseplate harmonic distortion or “ringing,” reduced baseplate decoupling, and reduced seismic noise due to flexure reduction and more uniform baseplate-to-ground conformance. These advantages ultimately translate to improved seismic surveys, having higher formation resolution and reaching greater depths.