Method, apparatus and system for detecting the thickness of a substance on a body of water

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9875421-B2
Application number	US-201514617081-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 9, 2015
Priority date	Mar 5, 2014
Publication date	Jan 23, 2018
Grant date	Jan 23, 2018

Abstract

Methods and systems described herein are useful for determining a thickness of a substance on a surface of a body of water, in particular through the use of a thickness detection apparatus that includes a body and at least one camera. The body has a plurality of sides with at least a portion of one of the sides comprising a light transmitting material. At least one camera is disposed within the body and configured to generate at least one image through the light transmitting material of the substances extending a depth below an air-substance interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for determining a thickness of a substance on a surface of a body of water comprising:
positioning at least one thickness detection apparatus in the body of water, the thickness detection apparatus comprising:
a body having a plurality of sides, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of sides comprises a light transmitting material, and
at least one camera disposed within the body and configured to generate at least one image through the light transmitting material of the substance extending a depth below an air-substance interface; and

analyzing at least one image from the camera to determine the thickness of the substance on the body of water.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing includes comparing the thickness of the substance in a region within the image to a reference length to determine the thickness of the substance on the body of water.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the analyzing includes comparing the thickness of the substance in a plurality of images to determine the thickest region or regions of the substance within the area of interest.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the thickness detection apparatus through the water in a continuous manner.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein two sides of the plurality of sides form a bow of the thickness detection apparatus and the bow leads the movement through the water.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one camera is configured to move with at least three degrees of freedom.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising stabilizing the thickness detection apparatus using a stability enhancing system comprising a horizontal support ( 160 ), a plurality of vertical supports ( 165 ), a first ski ( 150 ) positioned on a port side of the system, and a second ski ( 155 ) positioned on a starboard side of the system, such that the vertical supports ( 165 ) operatively connect the horizontal support ( 160 ) to the respective first ski ( 150 ) and second ski ( 155 ).

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the stability enhancing system comprises a drogue operatively connected to the body.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising a weight integral with a bottom of the body or underneath the body.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the stability enhancing system comprises a plurality of skis operatively connected to the body.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the camera is configured to provide a real-time video to an operator.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the thickness detection apparatus through the water using a propulsion system in the thickness detection apparatus.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the thickness detection apparatus through the water using a deployment device selected from the group consisting of a manned airborne device, an unmanned airborne device, a manned waterborne device, an unmanned waterborne device, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising obtaining at least one additional image using at least one additional camera disposed on the deployment device.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising obtaining at least one additional image using at least one additional camera disposed on the exterior of the thickness detection apparatus.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sides of the body of the thickness detection apparatus forms a hull of a waterborne device.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the volume of the body of the thickness detection apparatus is at least five times greater than the volume of the thickness detection camera.

18. An apparatus for determining a thickness of a substance on a surface of a body of water comprising:
a body having a plurality of sides, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of sides comprises a light transmitting material;
at least one camera disposed within the body of the thickness detection apparatus and configured to generate at least one image through the light transmitting material of the substance extending a depth below an air-substance interface; and
a stability enhancing system comprising a horizontal support ( 160 ), a plurality of vertical supports ( 165 ), a first ski ( 150 ) positioned on a port side of the system, and a second ski ( 155 ) positioned on a starboard side of the system, such that the vertical supports ( 165 ) operatively connect the horizontal support ( 160 ) to the respective first ski ( 150 ) and second ski ( 155 ).

19. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the volume of the body of the thickness detection apparatus is at least five times greater than the volume of the thickness detection camera.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the light transmitting material is a transparent material positioned in a forward section of the body of the thickness detection apparatus.

21. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein two sides of the plurality of sides form a bow of the thickness detection apparatus.

22. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the at least one camera is configured to move with at least three degrees of freedom.

23. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the camera is configured to provide a real-time video to an operator.

24. The apparatus of claim 18 , further comprising at least one additional camera disposed on the exterior of the thickness detection apparatus.

25. The apparatus of claim 18 , wherein the plurality of sides of the body of the thickness detection apparatus forms a hull of a waterborne device.

26. A method of determining a volume of a substance released into a body of water comprising:
deploying a thickness detection apparatus to an area of interest in the body of water, the thickness detection apparatus comprising:
a body having a plurality of sides, wherein at least a portion of at least one of the plurality of sides comprises a light transmitting material, and
at least one camera disposed within the body and configured to generate at least one image of the substance extending a depth below an air-substance interface through the light transmitting material;

analyzing at least one image from the camera to determine one or more thicknesses of the substance within the area of interest; and
determining the volume of the substance released based on the determined thicknesses of the substance within the area of interest.

Assignees

• Palandro David A
• Nedwed Timothy J
• Thornton Timothy A
• Exxonmobil Upstream Res Co

Inventors

• Palandro David A
• Nedwed Timothy J
• Thornton Timothy A

Classifications

• G01B11/06 Primary

  for measuring thickness {; e.g. of sheet material (thickness measurement by thermal means G01B21/085)} · CPC title

• B63B21/56

  Towing or pushing equipment (tugs B63B35/66; towing arrangements for water sports use B63B34/60) · CPC title

• G06K9/46 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic