Relocatable water pump station for and method of dangerous natural phenomena (mainly hurricane) weakening

Abstract

The present invention proposes to apply against dangerous natural phenomena (mainly hurricane) relocatable water pump stations using wave energy and having two states: operating state (for cold water pumping) and collapsed state (suitable for transportation). In collapsed state these stations have a severe less cross-section at least in one of horizontal directions. Such stations include reconfiguration means for theirs transforming from one said state to the second state and back.

1 . A relocatable water pump station for dangerous natural phenomena (mainly hurricane) weakening, 
 said station comprising:    1) one (a main buoy) or more buoys (main and additional buoys), said main buoys including: 
 a housing having a bottom opening (lower),  
 a cavity connected to said bottom opening,  
 one or more through openings connecting said cavity to external environment (atmosphere), and  
 an outlet of each of said openings is located at a predetermined distance from a bottom layer and at a predetermined distance from said cavity centre;  
   2) a pipeline placed in line (coaxial) with said bottom opening, said station, wherein further: 
 the length of said pipeline is no less than the distance in vertical direction between two environmental layers with the predetermined temperatures,  
 said pipeline whose length is more than several tens of meters (the long pipeline) consists of one or more several sections having cylinder-liked connected together in series, has a average density that is slightly above water density and is made, essentially, from polymer (composite) material,  
 said pipeline material is chosen from a group including: rigid material, flexible film, and  
 said pipeline is opened at least from one (lower, the farthest) end;  
   3) a water flow-controlling valve placed inside water tract comprising said pipeline and said cavity;    said station wherein: 
 said pipeline made from flexible material is fastened to buoy bottom coaxially to said bottom opening and includes shape holding means in plumbs (weights) form placed in said pipeline lower part evenly around it, and said plumbs have total weight that is more than the sum of tangential stresses and inertia forces,  
 said pipeline made from rigid material and the upper end of said pipeline is inserted into said bottom opening;  
   said station further characterized in that it has two possible states: 
 an operating state for water pumping and a collapsed state that is suitable for travel, and said station comprises reconfiguration means for transforming said station from the collapsed state to the operating state and back, and  
   said station satisfies a sea stability and has positive buoyancy;    said station further characterized in that: 
 being transformed into the operating state said pipeline is extended in vertically downward, and  
 being transformed into the collapsed state said station has the smallest cross-section at least in one of horizontal directions(move direction), and said collapsed state cross-section is smaller than one in the operating state, and being transformed into the collapsed state further:  
 said rigid pipeline is located aflat in view either extended pipeline or in package view (as folding package or as telescoping package),  
 said flexible pipeline is folded to a package by said reconfiguration means.  
   
   
   
       2 . The station according to  claim 1 , comprising an individual equipment clamber located inside at least one (main buoy) or more buoys and following devices located inside said clamber (embedded devices): 
 1) an energy source device consisted at least one source that is chosen from a group including: 
 a wave energy converter located inside the said water tract or additional local pipeline,  
 fuel cells;  
   2) a communication device for communication with environment monitoring center, said communication device connected to said control unit and including wireless channel for communication with environment monitoring means;    3) a control unit containing necessary programs including the program of said station reconfiguration from the operating state to the collapsed state and back, and said control unit is connected to said energy source;    4) a drive system consisting of one or more particular drives, said drive system is connected to said energy source and control units, and said drive system comprising drive transmissions to separated devices.    
   
   
       3 . The station according to  claim 1 , comprising the following devices located inside one (said main buoy) or more buoys: 
 1) a ballast chamber having sufficient volume for submersion of said station in a predetermined depth;    2) at least one depth-meter connected to said control unit;    3) a small water pump whereby said ballast chamber takes on water ballast for submersion and jettison, said water ballast for surfacing, said water pump connected to said control unit and energy source devices; and one branch pipe of said water pump connected to said ballast chamber and other branch pipe submersed in water.    
   
   
       4 . The station according to  claim 2 , comprising: 
 said pipeline made from rigid material,    said cavity located inside said main buoy,    said cavity made in view through uptake located inside said main buoy, said uptake begins from said bottom opening and is opened from opposite side,    the upper end of said pipeline is closed from above by said buoy and has one or more lateral openings located near said upper end;    and wherein:    said valve is placed inside of this pipeline,    said reconfiguration means include means for pipeline movement consist of two rolls which clamp upper part of said pipeline on two sides and said rolls are connected to said drive system;    said station further comprising:    null or one or more additional separable buoy-modules having housing, identical through uptake and all said uptakes are a prolongation of one another,    the number of said modules is more than the pipeline length, and    each of said additional modules in turn including:    two-position clamp located in each of said modules, one position of which executes clamping said module to the pipeline, a second position of which executes clamping said module to another module nearest to the main buoy, 
 a receiver-unit and a transmitter-unit for the commutation between adjacent buoys,  
 a logical unit placed in each of said modules, combined with other equipment or separated, logical unit inputs are connected to said receiver-unit and said two-position clamp and logical unit outputs are connected to said two-position clamp and said transmitter-unit,  
 the transmitter-unit placed in main buoy is connected to said control unit; and said station characterized in that:  
   being transformed into operating state said station includes said pipeline whose upper end is inserted into said uptake and is fastened with the help of said pipeline movement means so that said upper opening(s) of the pipeline and lateral opening(s) are aligned, and all said modules attached to said main buoy;    being transformed into collapsed state said station includes said pipeline located a flat attached to main buoy and said modules, and said main buoy and said modules are disposed bilaterally from middle of the sections along these sections about uniformly.    
   
   
       5 . The station according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said is pipeline made from rigid material;    said is cavity made in view through uptake located inside said main buoy, said uptake begins from said bottom opening and is opened from opposite side;    said main buoy is made in view of any body divided into two parts by the plane that is in parallel to the ruling and said parts have the assembled means fastened along two diametrically opposite rulings.    
   
   
       6 . The station according to  claim 1 , wherein said station uses multi-sectional pipeline and wherein reconfiguration means comprise connective components that are chosen from a group including: 
 threaded connections,    bayonet connections,    coupling links, each of these links is made in view of a plastic or metallic oblong batten having hinges on its ends, and the pair of said links are located diametrically opposite on the ends of said sections, and said links connect the pairs of adjacent sections by their hinges so that said pipeline may be folded in view of a “collapsed ladder”,    telescoping means.    
   
   
       7 . The station according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 said pipeline is made from flexible material (film);    said cavity placed inside the main buoy is closed overhead;    a cross-section of said flexible pipeline corresponds to said opening in the main buoy bottom;    said main buoy housing has three or more bulges directed down, said bulges are placed along the edges of the main buoy bottom;    said flexible pipeline is partitioned into “p” equal parts conditionally so that the shape and size of such parts are so that said part may be inscribed into said bottom area between said budges;    “M” knot points are placed on the lower of said parts of said pipeline surface in two rows along two antipodal rulings evenly approximately, and each pair of corresponding points is belong to generic perpendicular that is erected to said rulings;    (p-1)*M knot points are placed on surface of said pipeline in two rows along two antipodal rulings so that all corresponding knot points by covering should be coincident with one another;    said main buoy comprises “M” approximately vertical through holes are placed inside of main buoy housing or on external side surface of said main buoy, the inlets of said holes are located in two rows correspondently to said “M” knot points, that are placed on said lower part and so that the distance between them is slightly more than said pipeline cross-section half-perimeter;    said station, comprising the following reconfiguration means:    “M” flexible ropes,    (p-1)*M circular cells in rings, conical truncated form an interior diameter of said cells just more than said ropes, and said cells are fastened in said knot points one by one so that each such segment connecting two corresponding points of each pairs equidistant with respect to said bottom;    said station, wherein:    “M” lower ends of said ropes are fastened to the lower part of the pipeline surface in corresponding “M” knot points,    “M” said ropes pass further through all “p-1” corresponding circular cells, after that pass through corresponding “M” holes to the top of said main buoy where all the second ends of said ropes are connected to assembly;    said station, further characterized in that being transformed in collapsed state said pipeline is folded in the package by tauten ropes, and said station is set in necessary position on the ship deck, said station, wherein further:    the height of said bulges is no greatest than the pipeline package thickness.    
   
   
       8 . The station according to  claim 2 , wherein: 
 said pipeline is made from flexible material (film),    a cross-section of said flexible pipeline corresponds to said opening in the main buoy bottom,    said flexible pipeline is partitioned into “p” equal parts conditionally,    each of said parts consists of one or more fragments,    said fragments are chosen so that these fragments covering main buoy bottom form a single-layer covering, excluding angular bends,    said fragments are chosen also so that being folded and all segment of the antipodal rulings would be either in parallel or perpendicularly one another;    said station comprising:    “M” spools for reel up/down said ropes, said spools placed inside of main buoy and connected to said drive system,    “M” knot points placed on the lower of said parts of said pipeline surface in two rows along two antipodal rulings evenly approximately, and each pair of corresponding points belonged to generic perpendicular that is erected to said rulings;    (p-1)*M knot points placed on surface of said pipeline in two rows along two antipodal rulings so that all corresponding knot points by covering should be coincident with one another;    said station, comprising the following reconfiguration means:    “M” flexible ropes,    (p-1)*M circular cells in ring conical truncated form and such that the interior diameter of said cells is just more than said ropes diameter, and said cells are fastened in said knot points one by one so that each such segment connecting two corresponding points of each pairs is equidistant with respect to said bottom;    said station wherein:    “M” lower ends of said ropes are fastened to the lower part of the pipeline surface corresponding “M” knot points,    said main buoy comprises “M” through bottom holes located correspondently to said “M” knot points;    “M” said ropes pass through all “p-1” corresponding circular cells, after that pass through corresponding “M” holes and the second ends of said ropes are fastened to corresponding spools;    said station, further characterized in that being transformed in collapsed state said pipeline is folded in the package by tauten ropes.    
   
   
       9 . The station according to  claim 2 , comprising: 
 a) one or more movers chosen from the following group, including: propeller drive or water-jet, embedded in said main buoy, placed abaft and connected to said control unit and energy source;    b) means of motion direction controlling, and said means are chosen from a group including:    rudders placed on external part of said main buoy stern,    means of said mover turning,    two or more additional lateral openings having dampers and nozzles, allowing turning said station in necessary directions;    c) navigation aids connected to said control unit.    
   
   
       10 . The station according to  claim 2 , wherein said main buoy housing has oblong near-streamline shape, and said station comprises orientation means concerning a wave crest in water-anchor form.  
   
   
       11 . The station according to  claim 9 , wherein at least one from sections is made from flexible material, said station comprising: 
 docking assembly,    means for combining several stations in a series,    said docking assembly comprises docking port and docking unit,    said docking port is placed on one end of said main buoy and docking unit is placed on opposite end of said main buoy, and    in the case if upper section is made from rigid material a line passed through said docking port and unit is located at an acute angle to said upper section in transport state;    said combining means chosen from group including:    1) ropes, each of said ropes connects two adjacent stations, the first end of said rope connects to reeling up/out means placed inside of the main buoy of first station, the opposite end of said rope is fastened to the main buoy of the second station, and said reeling means are connected to control unit and energy source,    2) said mover embedded into said main buoy, and said mover comprises two separated blocks, said blocks are placed symmetrical about a buoy symmetry plane so that adjacent stations in series don't hammer each other.    
   
   
       12 . The station according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the surface water zone is the layer of the first predetermined temperature and this layer is source of water flow,    the air is the layer of the second predetermined temperature,    said pipeline has either cylinder-like or near to cylinder-like with a widening downwards cross-section,    said valve is opened by upgoing flow,    each of one or more of said openings is made in view of separated pipes and is ended by its sprayer outside said main buoy,    each of said sprayers is directed at an acute angle to the horizontal, and    the pipeline length is sufficient for dispersing these water jets into sufficiently little drops.    
   
   
       13 . The said station according to  claim 12 , wherein said pipeline is made from rigid material, and said station comprises the reconfiguration means that are chosen from one or two of the following: 
 a group consisting of one or more round links fastened in said housing,    the mountable means for joining and dejoining of said main buoy and said pipeline, and separately moving said main buoy and said pipeline in the collapsed state.    
   
   
       14 . The station according to  claim 12 , comprising means for increased evaporation efficiency, and said means are chosen from the group including: 
 a lowered position of said valve inside said pipeline,    a high thermal conductivity way (a strip or the pipeline) between the warm water zone and said sprayers,    one or more additional openings placed in side walls, corresponding valves covering these openings by excess of internal pressure above external,    an aerodynamically useful shape of the longitudinal cross-section of said pipeline,    one or more vibrating cells mounted about their sprayer-nozzle, said cells are connected to a special vibrations (mainly ultrasonic) generator placed inside said main buoy, and said generator is connected to wave energy converter placed inside said water tract or additional short pipeline.    
   
   
       15 . The station, according to  claim 2 , comprising a locator of external objects, and said locator is connected to said control unit, and said locator uses one of following means chosen from a group including: radio, optic, acoustic, productivity.  
   
   
       16 . The station according to  claim 1 , comprising limiters of approach said stations to each other, are chosen from a group including: 
 elastic bars,    rotators of said stations chosen from the following group including: 
 one or more said lateral openings, their outlets are placed below water surface and their tubes are bended equally relatively radial direction,  
 bulges placed on the pipeline surface along a helical path, and said rotations is oriented so that all said stations have the same direction of rotation only (clockwise or anticlockwise).  
   
   
   
       17 . The station according to  claim 1 , comprising limiters of distance increase of said station from other station or predetermined object, and these limiters are chosen from the two groups: 
 1) the first group of passive means, including: 
 a boom installed by other ship,  
 a water-anchor tethered to said station by a rope,  
 a two-sectional water-anchor tethered to said station by a rope, and  
   said two-sectional water-anchor, comprising    a first section floating on water surface and tethered to station by a rope, and    a second section consisting from one or more separated buoys located in a view vertical garland under water, and    said buoys are just heaving than water and tethered to each other by ropes;    2) the second group of active means, including: 
 an embedded mover connected to energy source,  
 two or more additional lateral openings (water-jets) having dampers and nozzles, allows turning said station in necessary directions; and  
 said dampers are connected to said control unit and communication device for determining its position.  
   
   
   
       18 . A method of dangerous natural phenomena (mainly hurricane) weakening on the base of a plurality of relocatable water pump stations, wherein each of said stations includes a main buoy and a pipeline, said pipeline consists of one or more sections and is made from rigid or flexible material, said method, wherein each of said stations has two states, an operating state and a collapsed state correspondently, and includes reconfiguration means, placed either totally or partially in said station, and 
 said method comprising the following steps:    1) manufacturing the plurality of said stations;    2) transforming said stations from last state to the collapsed state;    3) transferring said stations and placing these stations on initial (previous) positions in ocean;    4) monitoring the dangerous region;    5) detecting time and place of dangerous phenomenon germ;    6) determining a traffic, a submerging necessary and a motion regime;    7) transmitting monitoring results to said stations With the help of wireless communication;    8) transferring said stations to necessary places in the germ region with the help of means that are chosen from a group including: movers embedded into said stations, special ships, submarines;    9) transforming said stations from the collapsed state to the operating state;    10) pumping water from the first predetermined temperature layer to the second predetermined temperature layer; and    a) repeating the above-mentioned steps 2)-10) one or more times as necessary in the case receiving corresponding command;    b) executing the above-mentioned steps 4)-7) regularly;    c) said initial positions placed in conditional net nodes covered dangerous region;    d) said time, traffic, depth and means of delivery of said stations to new positions are determined by the monitoring results and the station design.    
   
   
       19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said stations include a rigid pipeline, the reconfiguration means, and N additional modules-buoys (N≧0), where said N increases with the pipeline length increasing, said pipeline is defined as N+1 predetermined internal positions, 
 said method comprising the following stages for executing the step 2 (transforming such station from operating state to collapsed state): 
 a) moving said pipeline to next predetermined internal position depending on the number of step,  
 b) fixing either main buoy at this position if N=0, or the farthest module from main buoy if N>0, at this position and  
   if N=0, then finish executing the step 2, if N>0, then further: 
 c) freeing this module from others,  
 d) repeating the above-mentioned stages a)-c) to N times and for inverse reconfiguring from collapsed state to the operating state said method for executing step 9) comprising the following stages:  
 e) moving said pipeline to previous position, and  
   if N=0, then finish executing the step 9, if N>0, then further: 
 f) freeing the nearest module from the pipeline,  
 g) fixing this module to the main buoy,  
 h) repeating the above-mentioned stages e-g to N times.  
   
   
   
       20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein said rigid pipeline includes more than one sections, said method comprising additional stage a) before said step 2 (transforming said station from operating state to collapsed state): 
 a) folding and    said method comprising additional stage b) after step 9 (transforming said station from collapsed state to the operating state):    b) extending.    
   
   
       21 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein for the reconfiguration of said station have the flexible pipeline and said ropes having the second ends are connected together in view of assembly, 
 said method for executing step 2 (transforming from operating state to collapsed state) comprises the following stages: 
 a) approaching special ship having a winch and an open deck to said station,  
 b) grappling said second ends by said winch,  
 c) pulling said ropes at said assembly with help of said winch, reeling said assembled ropes on a drum and packing said flexible pipeline,  
 d) taking said station out of the water and placing it on the deck, and for executing step 9 (transforming from collapsed state to operating state) comprises following stages:  
 e) moving the station from said deck to water surface and setting free said grappler of the winch.  
   
   
   
       22 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said stations include the flexible pipeline and the reconfigurable means, the ropes are fastened on spools, 
 said method wherein executing step 2 (transforming said station from operating state to collapsed state) comprises the following stages: 
 a) receiving monitoring information,  
 b) switching on drive system,  
 c) fixing said spools, and  
 executing step 9 (transforming said station from collapsed state to the operating state) comprises the following stage:  
 d) setting free said spools.  
   
   
   
       23 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said station has said pipeline consisting of several sections, each of said sections has its length that is equal to several tens meters approximately, said method uses for reconfigurating a special ship including a ship hoist (with a first tongs) and second tongs placed on a stern either on water surface or underwater, said pipeline sections have connection means chosen from the following group, including: bayonet, threaded connections, 
 said method, wherein executing step 2 (transforming said station from operating state to collapsed state) comprises the following steps: 
 a) approaching said ship to said station,  
 b) fastening the pipeline by second tongs,  
 c) releasing main buoy from fastening,  
 d) catching main buoy, lifting and locating it on the ship deck,  
 e) fastening the pipeline by first tongs placed on the hoist,  
 f) releasing the second tongs and lifting the pipeline to a section length by the hoist,  
 g) fastening the pipeline by second tongs placed on the stern,  
 h) separating the upper section from the pipeline,  
 i) transporting the upper section on the deck, and  
   repeating steps e)-i) for each of said sections;    said method, wherein executing step 9 (transforming said station from collapsed state to the operating state) comprises the following steps: 
 j) fastening the first section on the deck with the help of the hoist,  
 k) transporting the first section from the deck with the help of the first tongs,  
 l) fastening this section by second tongs,  
 m) fastening the following section on the deck with the help of the hoist,  
 n) transporting this second section from the deck with the help of the first tongs,  
 o) connecting said second section to previous section, and  
   repeating steps m)-o) for each of residuary sections, and then 
 p) transporting the main buoy from said deck, connecting main buoy to the upper section and fastening.  
   
   
   
       24 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said stations include a docking assembly, said method comprising between step 2 and step 3 following stages: 
 a) drawing the stations of predetermined series nearer,    b) ordering said stations in a chain,    c) joining all docking assembly by fastening docking port of one station to docking unit of next one,    d) transferring said chain of fastened stations from one position to the next, said method comprising further following stages between step 8 and 9:    e) disjoining all docking assembly,    f) transforming said stations to operating state; and    said method, wherein stage a) is executed with the help of means chosen from a group including: 
 embedded mover,  
 long ropes connecting said stations with each other and drawing nearer by taking said long rope up bobbins placed inside of the main buoys where said bobbins are connected to drive system.  
   
   
   
       25 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said stations include main buoy having an oblong near-streamline shape and orientation means in a water-anchor form and at least one of the second ends is connected to bobbin that is placed inside of the main buoy and is connected to the drive system and 
 said method comprising additionally following stages:    a) after executing step 2 (transforming from collapsed state to the operating state): 
 a-1) reeling said one or two ropes up said bobbin,  
 a-2) fastening the water-anchor on the stern, and  
   b) before step 9 (transforming from the collapsed state to the operating state): 
 b-1) setting free said water-anchor, said bobbin and said ropes.  
   
   
   
       26 . The method according to  claim 18 , comprising co-coordinated: 
 cooling of ocean surface with the help of said stations placed in predetermined positions before hurricane germ and later,    acting on the atmospheric part of said dangerous phenomenon with the help of direct actions chosen from the group, including:-oxygen-poor fuel-air explosive in over water space in the lower part of hurricane, iodide of silver, dry ice or gel.    
   
   
       27 . An improved method of cold water delivery to water surface for dangerous natural phenomena (mainly hurricane) weakening, comprising: 
 creating a zone of cold water masses at shallow depth under ocean surface, said zone elongated vertically and bounded by a cylinder-like reservoir that is open from below,    conserving said zone of cold water,    limiting warm surface water flow into upper part of said reservoir,    pumping out cold water from upper part of said reservoir by an external pump to ocean surface and replacing said cold water by upgoing cold water flow from below through said lower opening of the reservoir.    
   
   
       28 . The method according to  claim 27 , wherein said reservoir length is more than the predetermined temperature layer depth and has an average density slightly more than water density of this layer and controlling lower cover, comprising: 
 transforming said reservoir to state, in which it has the least hydrodynamics resistance at least in one direction,    submerging this reservoir to a depth half of its length in said direction and so that this reservoir axis in its final position is in parallel to the ocean surface,    filling said reservoir with water of the predetermined temperature with the help of pulling this reservoir perpendicularly said cross-section on a distance equal said length,    closing one of its ends,    rotating said reservoir through a quarter of a turn around the horizontal axis passing through the reservoir gravity center, and so that said closed end lowers,    correcting reservoir position so that the upper end of said reservoir has been placed and on shallow depth,    mounting means preventing said downgoing warm water flow and connecting pump conduit for pumping out cold water to ocean surface,    pumping out cold water from upper part of said reservoir to ocean surface, said method, wherein    in the case if said reservoir is made from flexible film before rotating is executed closing lower and upper ends snugly and after pumping out cold water is executed opening at least the lower end.