System and method for preventing fouling and/or corrosion on vessels and marine objects

Abstract

A corrosion or fouling prevention system for preventing the fouling or corrosion of a vessel or an aquatic object having a surface in contact with seawater and/or brackish water in an aquatic environment, the system comprising: a flexible and non-permeable barrier that extends about a surface of the vessel or aquatic object to avoid direct contact between the surface and the seawater and/or brackish water, an attachment structure for attachment of the barrier relative to the vessel or aquatic object to position the barrier in a spaced apart arrangement from the surface of the vessel to define an internal volume in between the surface of the vessel of the object and the barrier to receive a fluid that has a composition that is different to the aquatic environment.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A corrosion or fouling prevention system for preventing the fouling or corrosion of a vessel or an aquatic object having a surface in contact with seawater and/or brackish water in an aquatic environment, the system comprising:
 a flexible and non-permeable barrier that extends about a surface of the vessel or aquatic object to avoid direct contact between the surface and the seawater and/or brackish water,   an attachment structure for attachment of the barrier relative to the vessel or aquatic object to position the barrier in a spaced apart arrangement from the surface of the vessel to define an internal volume in between the surface of the vessel of the object and the barrier to receive a fluid that has a composition that is different to the aquatic environment wherein the attachment structure comprises one or more floatation devices adapted for being positioned relative to the vessel or object and wherein during use the barrier is suspended in a generally downward direction relative to the floatation device to position the barrier in said spaced apart arrangement and wherein the floatation devices further comprise walls enclosing a hollow cavity for receiving and removal of fluid therein such that supplying fluid into the cavity of the floatation device results in lowering or submerging the entire attachment structure into the seawater and/or brackish water in a lowered position to allow said vessel or aquatic object to be positioned above the attachment structure; and a fluid removal arrangement to gradually remove fluid from the one or more cavities of the floatation device to raise the attachment structure to the surface of the seawater or brackish water to facilitate attachment of the barrier relative to the vessel or aquatic object and wherein the flotation devices further comprise one or more vents positioned to vent the cavities and release accumulation of air when the floatation devices contain pressurised fluid in the one or more cavities.   
     
     
         2 . A corrosion or fouling prevention system in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the floatation devices are adapted to be attached to the vessel or object. 
     
     
         3 . A corrosion or fouling prevention system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a flow controller for controlling the flow of fluid into or out of the one or more cavities of the floatation devices thereby effecting movement of the attachment structure. 
     
     
         4 . A corrosion or fouling prevention system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pumping arrangement adapted to pump out sea water or brackish water from the internal volume in between the surface of the vessel of the object; and   a fluid supply arrangement to supply the fluid that has a composition that is different to the aquatic environment into the internal volume in between the surface of the vessel of the object.   
     
     
         5 . A corrosion or fouling prevention system in accordance with  claim 4 , further comprising one or more coupling assemblies positioned relative to the barrier and/or the attachment structure, said coupling assemblies being adapted to be coupled to the pumping arrangement and/or the fluid supply arrangement. 
     
     
         6 . A corrosion or fouling prevention system in accordance with  claim 4 , for preventing the fouling or corrosion of a vessel having a surface in contact with seawater and/or brackish water in an aquatic environment in accordance with any one of the preceding claims further comprising a marina attachment assembly adapted to be coupled with the attachment structure and/or the barrier to facilitate installation or removal of the corrosion or fouling prevention system relative to the vessel. 
     
     
         7 . A corrosion or fouling prevention system in accordance with  claim 6 , wherein the marina attachment assembly further comprises an extension member extending outwardly from the marina for attachment to the attachment structure at one or more attachment locations wherein the extension member is adapted for movement in an upward or downward to facilitate upward or downward movement of the attachment structure relative to the vessel thereby facilitating installation or removal of the corrosion or fouling prevention system relative to the vessel. 
     
     
         8 . A corrosion or fouling prevention system in accordance with  claim 7 , wherein the marina attachment assembly comprising one or more connectors adapted to be fluidly coupled to the fluid supply arrangement and the pumping arrangement. 
     
     
         9 . A corrosion or fouling prevention system in accordance with  claim 1 , for preventing the fouling or corrosion of a vessel having a surface in contact with seawater and/or brackish water in an aquatic environment in accordance with any one of the preceding claims further comprising a marina attachment assembly adapted to be coupled with the attachment structure and/or the barrier to facilitate installation or removal of the corrosion or fouling prevention system relative to the vessel. 
     
     
         10 . A corrosion or fouling prevention system in accordance with  claim 9 , wherein the marina attachment assembly further comprises an extension member extending outwardly from the marina for attachment to the attachment structure at one or more attachment locations wherein the extension member is adapted for movement in an upward or downward to facilitate upward or downward movement of the attachment structure relative to the vessel thereby facilitating installation or removal of the corrosion or fouling prevention system relative to the vessel. 
     
     
         11 . A corrosion or fouling prevention system in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the fluid received in the internal volume in between the surface of the vessel of the object and the barrier is fresh water. 
     
     
         12 . A corrosion or fouling prevention system in accordance with  claim 1 , further comprising a sealing arrangement for sealing a portion of the barrier relative to the vessel or the marine object to prevent the sea water or brackish water from being received into the internal volume in between the surface of the vessel of the object and the barrier. 
     
     
         13 . A method for corrosion or fouling prevention in a vessel or an aquatic object having a surface in contact with seawater and/or brackish water in an aquatic environment, the method comprising:
 positioning a flexible and non-permeable barrier that extends about a surface of the vessel or aquatic object to avoid direct contact between the surface and the seawater and/or brackish water;   attaching an attachment structure relative to the vessel or aquatic object to position the barrier in a spaced apart arrangement from the surface of the vessel to define an internal volume in between the surface of the vessel of the object and the barrier; and   supplying a fluid into the internal volume wherein the fluid has a composition that is different to the aquatic environment;   wherein the attachment structure comprises one or more floatation devices adapted for attachment to the vessel or object and wherein the attachment step comprises suspending the barrier in a generally downward direction relative to the floatation device to position the barrier in said spaced apart arrangement;   supplying fluid into a hollow cavity defined by walls of the floatation devices to lower or submerge the entire attachment structure into the seawater and/or brackish water into a lowered position to allow said vessel or aquatic object to be positioned above the entire attachment structure; and   remove or pump fluid out of the hollow cavity of the floatation devices to gradually raise the floatation devices of the attachment structure to the surface of the seawater or brackish water for facilitating positioning of the barrier relative to the vessel or aquatic object.   
     
     
         14 . A method for corrosion or fouling prevention in accordance with  claim 13 , comprising an intermediate step of: pumping or removing any sea water or brackish water from the internal volume before the step of supplying the fluid into the internal volume in between the surface of the vessel of the object and the barrier. 
     
     
         15 . A method for corrosion or fouling prevention in accordance with  claim 13 , further comprising the step of coupling the attachment structure and/or the barrier to a marina attachment assembly to facilitate installation or removal of the corrosion or fouling prevention system relative to the vessel. 
     
     
         16 . A method in accordance with  claim 15 , wherein the marina attachment assembly further comprises an extension member extending outwardly from the marina, the method comprising the additional steps of:
 attaching the marina attachment assembly to the attachment structure at one or more attachment locations;   lowering the extension member in a downward direction to facilitate downward movement of the attachment structure for positioning the attachment structure in said lowered position before positioning the vessel or aquatic object above the attachment structure;   raising the extension member in an upward direction to facilitate upward movement of the attachment structure in the sea water or brackish water and positioning the attachment structure adjacent the vessel or the object at or along the surface of the sea water or brackish water.