Steerable Depressor for Marine Survey Payload Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current marine survey systems face challenges in efficiently deploying and maintaining equipment, such as streamer cleaning devices, at operational depths and speeds, which hinders their effectiveness and competitive advantage.
Innovation Solution
A steerable depressor system is employed, comprising a hull or open frame structure with control surfaces and actuators, allowing for lateral and vertical maneuverability, enabled by a control system and umbilical connection to a chase boat, to deliver payloads like streamer cleaning devices to streamers while maintaining tow operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional marine survey systems are used for equipment maintenance, then survey operations can be conducted, but equipment deployment and maintenance at operational depth and speed is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The depressor is designed with steerable control surfaces (rudder, elevators, ailerons) that allow dynamic adjustment of its orientation and motion while being towed. This enables the depressor to maneuver laterally and vertically relative to the towed apparatus, facilitating precise payload delivery to specific locations on the streamer without stopping the survey vessel.
Solution Approach 2:
The depressor acts as an intermediary vehicle between the survey vessel and the towed apparatus. It carries the payload (e.g., streamer cleaning device) and delivers it to the target location on the streamer, enabling maintenance operations at operational depth and speed without requiring the survey vessel to stop or slow down significantly.
2Ease of operation
If payloads are delivered to towed apparatus at operational depth, then maintenance can be performed, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The depressor is designed as a multi-functional platform that can perform multiple tasks: it serves as a towed vehicle, a payload carrier, and a maneuvering device with steerable control surfaces. This universal design allows the same apparatus to deliver various payloads (streamer cleaning devices, sensors, etc.) to different locations on the streamer, reducing the need for multiple specialized devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The depressor is equipped with its own control surfaces and actuators that allow it to maneuver independently while being towed. The control system enables the depressor to position itself relative to the towed apparatus and deliver payloads autonomously, reducing the need for complex external maneuvering systems from the survey vessel.
3Speed
If the survey vessel maintains high speed during tow operations, then productivity is improved, but deploying and retrieving payloads becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The depressor's steerable control surfaces enable it to dynamically adjust its motion while being towed at high speeds. The rudder and elevators allow the depressor to counteract the effects of high-speed towing and maintain precise positioning relative to the streamer, facilitating safe and effective payload delivery even at operational speeds.
Solution Approach 2:
The payload is pre-loaded onto the depressor before the deployment operation. The depressor then maneuvers to the target location on the streamer and releases the payload, allowing the survey vessel to maintain high speed throughout the process without requiring significant speed reductions for payload handling.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus. The apparatus includes a body and a plurality of control surfaces attached to the body. A first control surface is configured to control an ascent and descent of the apparatus, responsive to ascent/descent control information. A second control surface is configured to control a roll of the apparatus responsive to roll control information, and a third control surface is configured to control a yaw of the apparatus responsive to yaw control information. The apparatus further includes a releasable first docking fixture attached to the body, the first docking fixture configured to engage a second docking fixture on a payload.