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Title: Flexible ocean upwelling pipe

Abstract

In an ocean thermal energy conversion facility, a cold water riser pipe is releasably supported at its upper end by the hull of the floating facility. The pipe is substantially vertical and has its lower end far below the hull above the ocean floor. The pipe is defined essentially entirely of a material which has a modulus of elasticity substantially less than that of steel, e.g., high density polyethylene, so that the pipe is flexible and compliant to rather than resistant to applied bending moments. The position of the lower end of the pipe relative to the hull is stabilized by a weight suspended below the lower end of the pipe on a flexible line. The pipe, apart from the weight, is positively buoyant. If support of the upper end of the pipe is released, the pipe sinks to the ocean floor, but is not damaged as the length of the line between the pipe and the weight is sufficient to allow the buoyant pipe to come to a stop within the line length after the weight contacts the ocean floor, and thereafter to float submerged above the ocean floor while moored to the ocean floor by the weight. Themore » upper end of the pipe, while supported by the hull, communicates to a sump in the hull in which the water level is maintained below the ambient water level. The sump volume is sufficient to keep the pipe full during heaving of the hull, thereby preventing collapse of the pipe.« less

Inventors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Global Marine, Inc., Los Angeles, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
863702
Patent Number(s):
4,231,312
Application Number:
05/935673
Assignee:
Global Marine, Inc. (Los Angeles, CA)
DOE Contract Number:  
AC03-78ET20539
Resource Type:
Patent
Resource Relation:
Patent File Date: 1978 Aug 21
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
flexible; ocean; upwelling; pipe; thermal; energy; conversion; facility; cold; water; riser; releasably; supported; upper; hull; floating; substantially; vertical; below; floor; defined; essentially; entirely; material; modulus; elasticity; steel; density; polyethylene; compliant; resistant; applied; bending; moments; position; relative; stabilized; weight; suspended; line; apart; positively; buoyant; support; released; sinks; damaged; length; sufficient; allow; stop; contacts; thereafter; float; submerged; moored; communicates; sump; level; maintained; ambient; volume; heaving; preventing; collapse; substantially vertical; ocean thermal; water level; cold water; ocean floor; thermal energy; energy conversion; density polyethylene; bending moments; riser pipe; flexible line; floating facility; conversion facility; /114/60/138/414/441/

Citation Formats

Person, Abraham. Flexible ocean upwelling pipe. United States: N. p., 1980. Web.
Person, Abraham. Flexible ocean upwelling pipe. United States.
Person, Abraham. 1980. "Flexible ocean upwelling pipe". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/863702.
@article{osti_863702,
title = {Flexible ocean upwelling pipe},
author = {Person, Abraham},
abstractNote = {In an ocean thermal energy conversion facility, a cold water riser pipe is releasably supported at its upper end by the hull of the floating facility. The pipe is substantially vertical and has its lower end far below the hull above the ocean floor. The pipe is defined essentially entirely of a material which has a modulus of elasticity substantially less than that of steel, e.g., high density polyethylene, so that the pipe is flexible and compliant to rather than resistant to applied bending moments. The position of the lower end of the pipe relative to the hull is stabilized by a weight suspended below the lower end of the pipe on a flexible line. The pipe, apart from the weight, is positively buoyant. If support of the upper end of the pipe is released, the pipe sinks to the ocean floor, but is not damaged as the length of the line between the pipe and the weight is sufficient to allow the buoyant pipe to come to a stop within the line length after the weight contacts the ocean floor, and thereafter to float submerged above the ocean floor while moored to the ocean floor by the weight. The upper end of the pipe, while supported by the hull, communicates to a sump in the hull in which the water level is maintained below the ambient water level. The sump volume is sufficient to keep the pipe full during heaving of the hull, thereby preventing collapse of the pipe.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/863702}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980},
month = {Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1980}
}