The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 27, 2002
Filed:
May. 19, 2000
Randall W. Nish, Provo, UT (US);
Daniel C. Kennedy, II, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
EDO Corporation, Fiber Science Division, Salt Lake City, UT (US);
Abstract
A buoyancy system for a deep water floating platform includes at least one composite buoyancy module coupled to a riser. The module includes an elongate vessel with a vessel wall, and upper and lower ends. The vessel is attached to the riser, vertically oriented, and submerged under a surface of water such that the upper end is disposed at a lower water pressure, and the lower end at a higher water pressure. The vessel wall has a thickness that varies from a thinner wall thickness at the lower end to a thicker wall thickness at the upper end. The vessel may be internally pressurized with air such that an internal air pressure of the vessel substantially equals the higher water pressure at the lower end of the vessel resulting in a lower pressure differential at the lower end with the thinner wall thickness and a higher pressure differential at the top end with the thicker wall thickness. The module is sized to have a volume to produce a buoyancy force at least as great as the weight of the riser.