Injection molded noise abatement assembly and deployment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9812112-B2
Application number	US-201615185856-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 17, 2016
Priority date	Jun 18, 2015
Publication date	Nov 7, 2017
Grant date	Nov 7, 2017

Abstract

Acoustic resonators are formed by injection molding or other process that allows the shape, size, orientation, and arrangement of each resonator to be customized. Customizing the features of the resonators allows their resonance frequency to be adjusted based on their intended deployment. A non-periodic or non-uniform arrangement of the resonators can increase the level of noise reduction compared to a periodic or uniform arrangement of the resonators. A chain guard includes a recess to receive a chain that supports a plurality of resonator rows or frames. In the stowed configuration, the chain guard pivots towards the row/frame to more compactly stow a panel of resonators.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A resonator for damping acoustic energy from a source in a liquid, the resonator comprising:
a base having a first planar surface and a second planar surface, said first and second planar surfaces parallel with one another; and
a hollow body having, in a cross section orthogonal to said second planar surface of said base, a first end, a second end, and a sidewall therebetween, said second end integrally connected to said second surface of said base, said body extending away from said second planar surface of said base into a space exterior to said base, said body having an aperture defined in said first end, said aperture extending from said first end to said second end, said aperture defining a volume in said hollow body, said hollow body configured to retain a gas in said volume when said resonator is disposed in said liquid while said aperture is aligned with a direction of gravitational pull.

2. The resonator of claim 1 , wherein said hollow body has a first portion and a second portion, said first portion disposed proximal to said first end, said second portion disposed proximal to said second end, wherein said first portion is narrower than said second portion.

3. The resonator of claim 1 , wherein said base and said hollow body are formed out of a same material.

4. The resonator of claim 3 , wherein said same material comprises a thermoplastic material.

5. The resonator of claim 1 , wherein said hollow body is in a shape of a balloon.

6. The resonator of claim 1 , wherein said hollow body is in a shape of a mushroom.

7. The resonator of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of a width of said first portion and a ratio of a width of said second portion is selected based on a depth of deployment of said resonator in said liquid.

8. The resonator of claim 7 , wherein said ratio is selected so that a desired volume of said liquid enters said volume at said depth.

9. The resonator of claim 8 , wherein said resonator has a resonance frequency based at least in part on said desired volume of liquid.

10. An apparatus for damping acoustic energy from a source in a liquid, the apparatus comprising:
a base having a first planar surface and a second planar surface, said first and second planar surfaces parallel with one another;
a plurality of hollow bodies, each hollow body having, in a cross section orthogonal to said second planar surface, a first end, a second end, and a sidewall therebetween, said second end integrally connected to said second surface of said base, said body having an aperture defined in said first end, said aperture extending from said first end to said second end, said aperture defining a volume in said hollow body, said hollow body configured to retain a gas in said volume when said resonator is disposed in said liquid while said aperture is aligned with a direction of gravitational pull; and
a plurality of holes defined in said base, said holes disposed between at least some of said hollow bodies.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said holes are configured to allow a gas bubble to pass through when apparatus is submerged in said liquid to reduce a buoyancy of said apparatus.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said resonators are arranged in an array having a plurality of columns and rows.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein at least some of said resonators are offset from said columns or rows.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said resonators include a first resonator having a first shape and a second resonator having a second shape, said first shape different than said second shape.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said first and second resonators are randomly distributed in said array.

16. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said resonators include a first resonator having a first height and a second resonator having a second height.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein a distance between adjacent resonators is variable throughout said array.

18. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said distance is randomly distributed throughout said array.

19. A noise abatement system comprising:
a plurality of collapsible frames;
a chain passing through an aperture defined in each collapsible frame, said chain mechanically connecting and supporting said collapsible frames;
a plurality of elongated chain guards, each chain guard pivotally connected to said frame proximal to said aperture, said chain guard having a body that defines a recess along a length of said chain guard to at least partially receive the chain, said chain guard configured to pivot (a) from an open position wherein said length of said chain guard is orthogonal to said respective frame (b) to a closed position wherein said length of said chain guard is parallel to said respective frame; and
a plurality of resonators disposed on each said frame, each resonator including a hollow body having an open end, a closed end, and a sidewall therebetween, said closed end integrally connected to a first surface of a base disposed on said respective frame.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein said body has an aperture defined in said open end and extending from said open end to said closed end, said aperture defining a volume in said hollow body, said hollow body configured to retain a gas in said volume when said resonator is submerged in a liquid while said aperture is aligned with a direction of gravitational pull.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein said body has a first portion and a second portion, said first portion disposed proximal to said open end, said second portion disposed proximal to said closed end, wherein said first portion is narrower than said second portion.

22. The system of claim 19 , wherein said resonators are spaced irregularly on at least one frame.

23. The system of claim 19 , wherein said resonators have a plurality of shapes and/or sizes.

24. The system of claim 23 , wherein said plurality of shapes and/or sizes is randomly distributed on at least one frame.

25. The system of claim 19 , wherein said system is configured to collapse from a deployed configuration to a stowed configuration, said deployed configuration having said frames in an extended position so that said frames 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.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein said chain guard is in said open position when said system is in said deployed configuration and said chain guard is in said closed position when said system is in said stowed configuration.

27. The system of claim 19 , wherein a plurality of holes is defined in said base, said holes disposed between at least some of said resonators.

Assignees

• Wochner Mark S
• Mcneese Andrew R
• Lee Kevin M
• Wilson Preston S
• Univ Texas

Inventors

• Wochner Mark S
• Mcneese Andrew R
• Lee Kevin M
• Wilson Preston S

Classifications

• E02B17/0017

  Means for protecting offshore constructions · CPC title

• E21B41/0007

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

• G10K11/172 Primary

  using resonance effects · CPC title

• G10K2200/11

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