Steering Geophone with Angle Gage for Seismic Signal Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current seismic data acquisition systems suffer from significant energy loss due to uncontrolled reflection angles, leading to inaccurate signal detection and interpretation, as geophones are not effectively directionalized to maximize energy reception from subsurface geological structures.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable geophone design combining a spike and rounded flat base for enhanced ground coupling, with an internal angle gage steering system allowing manual or electronic adjustment to direct the geophone towards reflected seismic signals, minimizing energy loss and improving data accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If geophones are planted vertically or at fixed angles, then the device complexity is low and ease of operation is high, but energy loss due to reflection angles increases and measurement precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The geophone employs a steering device with adjustable elements that can be dynamically positioned to orient the geophone's sensitive axis toward the direction of incoming seismic waves. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to adapt to varying reflection angles and maximize energy reception, resolving the contradiction between fixed simple installation and precise directional signal capture.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the orientation parameter of the geophone's sensitive axis through adjustable elements that can be positioned at different angles. By modifying this critical parameter dynamically, the system optimizes its response to seismic waves arriving from different directions, thereby improving measurement precision without being constrained by a fixed complex structure.
2Loss of energy
If geophones are directed toward reflected signals to minimize energy loss, then energy reception improves, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases due to angle adjustment requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The steering device incorporates angle gages that provide feedback on the orientation of the geophone's sensitive axis relative to the desired direction. This feedback mechanism enables precise measurement and adjustment of the orientation angle, allowing operators to accurately direct the geophone toward reflected signals while minimizing the difficulty of measurement through visual or electronic angle indication.
Solution Approach 2:
The angle gage serves as an intermediary device between the steering mechanism and the operator. It translates the complex angular positioning requirements into measurable and controllable parameters, facilitating easier detection and measurement of the geophone's orientation while enabling precise energy-directed signal reception.
3Device complexity
If manual angle adjustment is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity decreases due to time-consuming adjustment processes
Solution Approach 1:
The steering device is designed to be self-adjusting through automated control mechanisms that can position the geophone elements without requiring complex manual intervention. The system incorporates control systems that automatically orient the sensitive axis toward the direction of incoming seismic waves, thereby maintaining low device complexity while significantly improving setup efficiency and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces manual mechanical adjustment with automated control systems that can electronically position the geophone elements. This substitution maintains the simplicity of the overall device while eliminating time-consuming manual adjustment processes, thereby improving productivity without increasing device complexity.
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 adjustable geophone system reduces energy loss and enhances seismic data processing by aligning geophones with reflected signals, providing more accurate AVO and AVA analyses and preserving seismic attributes, thereby improving the interpretation of subsurface geological structures.
Implementation Method 1
The spike attached from bottom together with the rounded flat base enhances the coupling with the ground and keeps the external part of the geophone in vertical position
Implementation Method 2
In land seismic data acquisitions sensors, such as geophones, are spread on the surface or down hole to receive the reflected waves as signals
Data Source
AI summary
The current invention minimizes the energy losses by pointing the geophone's internal system, which consists of a magnet bar, coil, and springs, towards signals reflected from targets.