WO2009050758A2 - Sea lab - innovative floating laboratory - Google Patents

Abstract

The floating laboratory (afterwards called SEA LAB) looks like an offshore weather and oceanographic station installed on a metal cylindrical-conical case, properly closed by a waterproof trap door. Technologically it is a waterproof 'computer case' in stainless steel for complicated fluid settings, used for holding the electrical feeding system, the unit of elaboration of digital signals coming from superficial and deep sensors, and digital transceiver system. It is equipped with a floating system formed by passing hole buoys (min. 4, max. 32) engaged on four axes coming from the case and placed at 90 degrees. SEA LAB is also equipped with proper mixed anchorage system with bollards for mooring at dock or floating bodies, and with rings for mooring at roadstead.

Description

DESCRIPTION

TITLE

SEA LAB - Innovative floating laboratory.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The floating laboratory (afterwards called SEA LAB) looks like an offshore weather and oceanographic station installed on a metal cylindrical-conical case, properly closed by a waterproof trap door. It means to be an innovative solution of "computer case" in stainless steel for complicated fluid settings (rivers, lakes, sea, etc.) for the contemporary presence of both polluting and/or corrosive materials and dynamically difficult settings such as wave- motion, tides, and/or superficial and deep currents. BACKGROUND ART Before laboratory SEA LAB, technology consisted in the installation of meteorological and environment machinery on fixed locations. To monitor sea setting existed proper movable means (boats), which made samples while measures were made in laboratory. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION In the latest years, microcomputers have reached technological unthinkable levels for the presence of different and independent elements; in particular we are talking about speed of elaboration at low energy consumption, capacity of memorizing on vanishing memories at solid state, power of digital connection at input/output peripherals, and wideness on wireless transceiver channel with protocol TCP/IP. On the other hand, the miniaturizing process have reached such dimensions as on a single card of 7x10 cm (microcomputer in PICO version) can be found not only the microprocessor and the memories, but also all the interfaces for local input/output peripherals (memories at solid state, data logger, and protocol input peripherals TCP/IP, etc.) and for wireless telecommunication channels. After all, assuming low consumption energy microcontrollers allows using photovoltaic cells and long lasting battery.

Therefore, low consumption energy microcontrollers, central memories of big capacity, mass memories at solid state, programming analogical/digital data logger, sophisticated digital sensors, wireless telecommunication systems, advanced system software create the best mix to develop complicated control systems in new applicable areas with innovative solutions, provided we have "computer case" usable in extreme settings. Obviously, in those settings we cannot think that the input/output peripherals (sensors/antennas) are separated, as well as that controller's case is separated from the setting system, that is why the set, even if belongs to the computer case family, looks like a floating laboratory on a fluid. Afterwards, it will be called SEA LAB. Therefore, SEA LAB utility model of this plan means to be an innovative Computer Case solution for complicated fluid settings (rivers, lakes, sea, etc.) for the contemporary presence of both polluting and/or corrosive materials and dynamically difficult settings such as wave-motion, tides, and/or the superficial and deep currents. It not only rises for coastal seawater, even if the enclosed drawings follow this setting. As you can see at Figure 1, features are:

1. bearing system for physical meteorological sensors, acoustic sensors, and optical sensors on a special metal bar for superficial setting; 2. bearing system for environment sensors of physical and chemical/physical type, of acoustic and optical sensors on a special metal tube for deep settings;

3. multi-frequency wireless telecommunication system on a special metal bar including safety system at sea;

4. waterproof stainless steel case for holding the electrical feeding system, the unit of elaboration of digital signals coming from superficial and deep sensors, and digital transceiver system;

5. variable depth stabilization system for optimizing wave-motion effects, and superficial and deep currents by a special stainless steel ring and bars for placing the ring buoys;

6. anchorage mixed multi-axial system for mooring both at dock and at roadstead.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In Figure 1 you can see the innovative elements. They are:

1. Steel COLLAR of variable inclination placed on the case for clasping photovoltaic cells; 2. Circular ring STABILIZER with four movable joint bars equipped with proper floating buoys for anti-sinking, anti-pitching functions and mooring at bollards and rings; 3. Multiple HOOK connected to the stabilizing bars for space mooring at roadstead and for stabilizer strengthening. The COLLAR of variable inclination is used for allowing an optimum exposure of a photovoltaic cell system to sunbeams. It is a tangent screw that changes a little degree a metal ring placed on the case moved by small motor sensitive to electric change of a referring photovoltaic cell.

Ring STABILIZER is the basic innovative element of the SEA LAB. It not only avoids

75 the case upsetting but also guarantees floating through four bars placed at 90 degrees and equipped with floating passing hole buoys. The number of buoys can vary from 4 to 32. The bars are movable arms of variable depth and are fixed on the ring with an innovative wedge system that allows radial moving Figure 2 explains its behaviour.

80 Figure 3 shows some building sides through view from above. In particular, it is illustrated the fixing of the case ring and the radial moving mechanism of the four axes that, supported by passing hole buoys, modify the distance case-fluid level. Hooks placed at the end of the axes establish stabilization process of wave-motion due to a floating setting modification.

85 Multiple HOOK that is at the end of the stabilizing axes is used not only for mooring at roadstead by anchor, and if that is the case by anchor log, but above all for stabilizer strengthening. As a matter of fact, wave-motion causes some punctual change on surface and deep-water dimension, while proper chains connected to both sides of multiple hooks cause oscillation to the stabilizing axis system in the opposite sense to

90 the wave-motion with consequent variation of surface/ring distance. In Figure 1 the hook spatial forms are shown.

Figure 2 shows in a detailed way the dimensional characteristics that are on the core of SEA LAB stabilization. In particular, the letter A indicates the meteorological/ring bar dimension and B the length of the stabilizing axis. 95 Letter Y indicates the stabilizing ring radius and K the distance between the axis final point and the ring vertical. As a matter of fact, Y outlines the surface of a virtual raft, while K outlines sinking level and then the stabilization.

For A values between 1.000 mm and 4.000 mm the optimal α angle goes from a maximum of 45 degree to a minimum of 15 degree. For B values between 200 mm to 100 1.600 mm the optimal β angle goes between a maximum of 90 degrees to a minimum of 15 degrees. According to these values, it is possible to establish both Y optimal value and K average value. In Figure 3 is reported the stabilization system as a whole, patent object.

Claims

CLAIMS105Even if the floating SEA LAB is innovative on the whole, it owns an essential element we claim as patent object.In particular it is the stabilization system to the wave-motion and to the superficial current that has been created, projected and manufactured. 110 The elements that make up the stabilization system are:

1. Ring STABILIZER, with radius Y, to which are fastened four axes, placed at 90 degrees the one from the other, movable and turning around the ring from a minimum of 15 degrees to a maximum of 90 degrees with reference to the ring vertical;

115 2. Four moving AXES equipped with floats that control the wave superficial behaviour;

3. Multiple HOOKS that not only guarantee the moving space mooring in the opposite direction to the wave-motion, but also allow a flexibility in function of the superficial current of the wave-motion.

120 Therefore, considering these innovations, we would like to claim the stabilization system as patent object.