Streamlined Lifting Bag for Marine Sensor Streamer Retrieval

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing marine survey retriever systems are large, heavy, and create significant drag and turbulence in the water, making them inefficient and prone to marine growth, particularly when sensor streamers become negatively buoyant and require retrieval.

Innovation Solution

A streamlined lifting bag system integrated with a gas cylinder and depth trigger mechanism, which inflates to lift the sensor streamer, minimizing size and drag while reducing marine growth through a smooth external surface design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional retriever systems are used to lift sensor streamers, then the streamers can be retrieved from water, but the retriever systems create significant drag and turbulence

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveretrieval capabilityVSAvoiddrag and turbulence

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting bag is designed with a smooth, streamlined exterior surface that reduces turbulence and drag as it moves through water. The curved, aerodynamic shape allows water to flow smoothly around the device, minimizing the harmful effects of drag and turbulence while maintaining effective lifting capability for retrieving sensor streamers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The lifting bag utilizes a flexible membrane structure that can deform and adapt to water flow conditions, reducing turbulence. The thin film construction allows the bag to flex with water movements rather than creating rigid obstacles, thereby minimizing drag while maintaining the necessary buoyancy for retrieval operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Reliability

If traditional retriever systems are used, then sensor streamers can be retrieved, but marine growth such as barnacles preferentially occurs on the retriever systems

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveretrieval capabilityVSAvoidmarine growth

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The smooth, curved exterior surface of the lifting bag eliminates irregularities and crevices where marine organisms like barnacles would typically attach. The continuous, streamlined surface provides no anchoring points for marine growth, effectively preventing biofouling while the bag performs retrieval operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

Solution Approach 2:

The lifting bag features a uniform, homogeneous surface texture without protrusions, joints, or irregularities that would create micro-turbulence or attachment points for marine life. This homogeneity in surface design across the entire exterior prevents preferential marine growth accumulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #33Homogeneity

3Reliability

If larger retriever systems are used to ensure reliable retrieval, then retrieval capability is improved, but the systems become heavier and create more drag

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveretrieval capabilityVSAvoidretriever system weight

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The lifting bag employs pneumatic or hydraulic inflation to generate buoyancy forces necessary for retrieving sensor streamers. By using gas or liquid pressure to create lifting force, the system achieves reliable retrieval capability without requiring heavy structural components, thereby minimizing weight while maintaining effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

Solution Approach 2:

The lifting bag can adjust its buoyancy parameters by controlling inflation levels, allowing it to provide sufficient lifting force for reliable retrieval without requiring a permanently large or heavy structure. The bag can be inflated to the necessary volume temporarily during retrieval operations and then deflated for compact storage, optimizing the weight-size relationship.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 retrieves sensor streamers with reduced effort and drag, minimizing marine growth and maintaining efficient operation in marine survey systems.

Implementation Method 1

an inflatable lifting bag system may trigger (i.e., a retriever system), which causes the sensor streamer to surface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBuoyancy: Archimedes' Principle (Buoyancy)

Data Source

PatentUS8998535B2Method and system of retriever systems for marine geophysical survey sensor streamers

Publication Date: 2015.04.07 PGS GEOPHYSICAL AS

AI summary

Retriever systems for marine geophysical survey sensor streamers. At least some of the illustrative embodiments are methods including attaching a retriever system to a sensor streamer by: wrapping a lifting bag assembly at least partially around the sensor streamer, the lifting bag assembly comprising a deflated lifting bag, a gas cylinder, and a depth trigger mechanism; and covering the lifting bag assembly with an outer cover.