Underwater noise abatement apparatus and deployment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9488026-B2
Application number	US-201514590177-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2015
Priority date	Jan 6, 2014
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

A deployable underwater noise abatement system allowing packing and deploying an organized set of grouped resonators is disclosed. The system allows relatively compact storage and transportation of the noise abatement apparatus when not in use, then, when deployed, the apparatus can be lowered into the water and extended.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A noise abatement system, comprising:
a plurality of noise abating resonators, each resonator holding a gas therein and being responsive to acoustic energy in a vicinity of said resonator;
said resonators arranged into a deployable arrangement within a collapsible frame so that said deployable arrangement provides a deployed configuration of said resonators in said frame when the system is deployed, and a stowed configuration of said resonators in said frame when the system is not deployed;
said deployed configuration having said frame in an extended position so that said resonators are spaced further apart from one another than they would be when stowed, and said stowed configuration having said frame in a contracted position so that said resonators are spaced closer together than they would be when deployed; and
said frame including an upper cross member comprising a buoyant material that maintains the upper cross member separated and above a lower cross member of said frame when said system is deployed in water.

2. The system of claim 1 , said resonators being arranged into a plurality of rows in said frame, each row having a common row support member coupled to resonators in said respective row.

3. The system of claim 2 , said common row support member comprising a flexible material.

4. The system of claim 2 , said rows being generally parallel to one another and each row being generally along a first dimension so that the frame generally lies in a plane defined by said first dimension and a second dimension orthogonal to said first dimension.

5. The system of claim 4 , said second dimension being generally parallel to a direction of gravitational pull.

6. The system of claim 4 , the plurality of resonators and rows generally defining a panel of resonators and the system further comprising multiple such panels of resonators, each panel of resonators lying generally in its own plane when deployed.

7. The system of claim 6 , each panel mounted on an annular frame.

8. The system of claim 7 , said annular frame is articulatable from an open position to a closed position.

9. The system of claim 8 , said annular frame is mountable on a support structure.

10. The system of claim 2 , said resonators being arranged into a plurality of columns in said frame, each column having a common column support member coupled to resonators in said respective column.

11. The system of claim 10 , said common column support member comprising a flexible material.

12. The system of claim 2 , the plurality of resonators and rows generally defining a panel of resonators, said panel of resonators disposed in a storage frame when said panel is in said stowed configuration, said storage frame including at least one removable wall so said panel can be deployed from said storage frame.

13. The system of claim 2 , the plurality of resonators and rows generally defining a panel of resonators, said panel of resonators including a telescoping side support member.

14. A method for abating noise, comprising:
arranging a plurality of acoustic resonators in a flexible and deployable framework that can be configured in a deployed or in a stowed configuration;
extending a flexible frame of said framework into its deployed configuration by extending the flexible frame when said framework is deployed into a volume of water in which noise is to be abated, said frame having an upper cross member comprising a buoyant material that maintains the upper cross member separated and above a lower cross member of said frame when said framework is deployed in said water;
contracting said frame into its stowed configuration by compacting the flexible frame when said framework is to be stowed; and
storing said deployable framework in a storage compartment when not deployed and when in its stowed configuration.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein arranging said plurality of acoustic resonators comprises arranging the resonators into a plurality of rows of resonators, each row of resonators being attached to a common row support member.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein extending said frame comprises spreading said rows of resonators apart so as to create a larger distance between each said row in the deployed configuration, and contracting said frame comprising compacting said rows of resonators onto one another so as to create a smaller distance between each said row in the stowed configuration.

17. The method of claim 14 , wherein arranging said plurality of acoustic resonators comprises arranging the resonators into a plurality of columns of resonators, each column of resonators being attached to a common column support member.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising forming a panel of resonators with said plurality of rows of resonators.

19. The method of claim 18 , further comprising disposing said panel on an annular frame.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising:
opening an articulatable portion of said annular frame;
disposing said annular frame on a support structure through an open portion of said annular frame; and
closing said articulatable portion of said annular frame around said support structure.

21. An underwater noise abatement system for use in a marine environment, comprising:
a plurality of noise abating resonators, each resonator holding a gas therein when deployed in water and being responsive to acoustic energy in said water in a vicinity of said resonator;
said resonators arranged into a deployable arrangement within a collapsible frame so that said deployable arrangement provides a deployed configuration of said resonators in said frame when the system is deployed in water, and a stowed configuration of said resonators in said frame when the system is not deployed, said frame including an upper cross bar and a lower cross bar;
said deployed configuration having said frame in an extended position so that said resonators are spaced further apart from one another than they would be when stowed, and said stowed configuration having said frame in a contracted position so that said resonators are spaced closer together than they would be when deployed; and
a deployment line connected to said upper cross bar and to a marine vessel, the deployment line supporting the upper cross bar to separate the upper cross bar from above said lower cross bar when said system is deployed in water.

Assignees

• Wochner Mark
• Mcneese Andrew
• Wilson Preston
• Lee Kevin
• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Wochner Mark
• Mcneese Andrew
• Wilson Preston
• Lee Kevin

Classifications

• G10K2200/11

  Underwater, e.g. transducers for generating acoustic waves underwater · CPC title

• G10K11/172

  using resonance effects · CPC title

• E21B33/10 Primary

  in the borehole {(sealing the junction between main bore and laterals E21B41/0042)} · CPC title

• E21B41/0007 Primary

  for underwater installations (E21B41/005, E21B41/04, E21B41/06, E21B41/08, E21B41/10 take precedence) · CPC title