Dredging apparatus, system, and method with adjustable turbidity curtain and bubble tube frame

Abstract

Embodiments of the disclosure provide a dredging apparatus, including a buoyant platform having an upper surface, a lower surface configured to float on a body of water, and an opening having a horizontal cross-sectional area and extending from the upper surface through the lower surface. A set of supports, mechanically coupled to the platform, is configured to maintain a position of the buoyant platform above a dredge site at a bottom of the body of water. A turbidity curtain, coupled to the platform using a plurality of telescoping members, surrounds at least the horizontal cross-sectional area of the opening. A bubble tube frame, coupled to the turbidity curtain and extending outwardly therefrom to surround the turbidity curtain, includes a plurality of outlets configured to emit bubbles into the body of water around a perimeter of the dredge site.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dredging apparatus, comprising:
 a buoyant platform having an upper surface, a lower surface configured to float on a body of water, and an opening having a horizontal cross-sectional area and extending from the upper surface through the lower surface;   a set of supports mechanically coupled to the buoyant platform, wherein the set of supports is configured to maintain a position of the buoyant platform above a dredge site at a bottom of the body of water;   a turbidity curtain coupled to the buoyant platform using a plurality of telescoping members, wherein the turbidity curtain surrounds at least the horizontal cross-sectional area of the opening; and   a bubble tube frame coupled to the turbidity curtain and extending outwardly therefrom to surround the turbidity curtain, the bubble tube frame including a plurality of outlets configured to emit bubbles into the body of water around a perimeter of the dredge site.   
     
     
         2 . The dredging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the set of supports removably mount the buoyant platform on a selected portion of the bottom of the body of water. 
     
     
         3 . The dredging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of outlets of the bubble tube frame are fluidically coupled to a fluid supply through the telescoping members of the turbidity curtain. 
     
     
         4 . The dredging apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of winches mounted on the buoyant platform and coupled to the plurality of telescoping members wherein the plurality of winches adjusts a vertical position of the bubble tube frame relative to the buoyant platform by adjusting a length of the plurality of telescoping members. 
     
     
         5 . The dredging apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a wildlife detector mounted on the buoyant platform, and configured to monitor the body of water, wherein the wildlife detector is configured to detect wildlife and a distance of the wildlife from the dredge site. 
     
     
         6 . The dredging apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a controller coupled between the wildlife detector and a fluid supply for the bubble tube frame, wherein the controller is configured to selectively enable a flow of fluid to the bubble tube frame in response to the detected wildlife including a protected species, and the protected species being within a threshold distance from the dredge site. 
     
     
         7 . The dredging apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the wildlife detector includes a sonar transceiver configured to generate a visual signature of the detected wildlife, and wherein the controller is configured to process the visual signature to identify a protected species and calculate a distance of the protected species from the dredge site. 
     
     
         8 . The dredging apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a network transceiver coupled to the wildlife detector, and configured to exchange data with a monitoring system that is distal to the buoyant platform. 
     
     
         9 . The dredging apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a hydraulic adjustment system mounted on the upper surface of the buoyant platform, the hydraulic adjustment system including a hydraulic pump operably connected to a hydraulic actuator operably coupled to the set of supports to mount the set of supports on the bottom of the body of water. 
     
     
         10 . The dredging apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the buoyant platform is dimensioned to support an excavator on the upper surface thereof, the excavator being operationally independent of the dredging apparatus. 
     
     
         11 . A dredging system, comprising:
 a buoyant platform having an upper surface, a lower surface configured to float on a body of water, and an opening having a horizontal cross-sectional area and extending from the upper surface through the lower surface;   a set of supports mechanically coupled to the buoyant platform, wherein the set of supports is configured maintain a position of the buoyant platform above a dredge site at a bottom of the body of water;   a turbidity curtain coupled to the buoyant platform using a plurality of telescoping members, the turbidity curtain surrounds at least the horizontal cross-sectional area of the opening;   a bubble tube frame coupled to the turbidity curtain and extending outwardly therefrom to surround the turbidity curtain, the bubble tube frame including a plurality of outlets configured to emit bubbles into the body of water around a perimeter of the dredge site;   a wildlife detector mounted on the buoyant platform, and configured to monitor the body of water, wherein the wildlife detector is configured to detect wildlife and a distance of the wildlife from the dredge site; and   a controller operatively coupled to the wildlife detector and a fluid supply to the bubble tube frame, wherein the controller is configured to selectively enable a flow of fluid to the bubble tube frame in response to the detected wildlife including a protected species, and the protected species being within a threshold distance from the dredge site.   
     
     
         12 . The dredging system of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of outlets of the bubble tube frame are fluidically coupled to the fluid supply through the telescoping members of the turbidity curtain. 
     
     
         13 . The dredging system of  claim 11 , further comprising a plurality of winches mounted on the buoyant platform and coupled to the plurality of telescoping members, wherein the plurality of winches adjusts a vertical position of the bubble tube frame relative to the buoyant platform by adjusting a length of the plurality of telescoping members. 
     
     
         14 . The dredging system of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is coupled to the plurality of winches and further configured to adjust the vertical position of the bubble tube frame relative to the buoyant platform based on a condition of the body of water. 
     
     
         15 . The dredging system of  claim 11 , wherein the wildlife detector includes a sonar transceiver configured to generate a visual signature of the detected wildlife, and wherein the controller is configured to process the visual signature to identify a protected species and calculate a distance of the protected species from the dredge site. 
     
     
         16 . The dredging system of  claim 11 , further comprising a network transceiver coupling the controller to the wildlife detector and the fluid supply, wherein the controller is included in a monitoring system at a location distal to the buoyant platform. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 positioning a buoyant platform above a dredge site within a body of water, the buoyant platform having an upper surface, a lower surface configured to float on the body of water, and an opening having a horizontal cross-sectional area over the dredge site and extending from the upper surface through the lower surface;   monitoring the body of water with a wildlife detector configured to detect wildlife within the body of water, and a distance of the wildlife from the dredge site;   selectively emitting bubbles around a perimeter of the dredge site using a bubble tube frame of a turbidity curtain coupled to the buoyant platform, in response to the detected wildlife including a targeted species, and the targeted species being within a threshold distance from the dredge site; and   conducting a dredge operation on the dredge site after positioning the buoyant platform above the dredge site, and during the monitoring of the body of water.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising adjusting a vertical position of the bubble tube frame of the turbidity curtain relative to the buoyant platform with a plurality of telescoping members coupled between the buoyant platform and the turbidity curtain, wherein the plurality of telescoping members fluidically couples the turbidity curtain to a fluid supply. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein positioning the buoyant platform includes causing a hydraulic actuator coupled to a set of supports of the buoyant platform to mount the at least one adjustable support on a bottom of the body of water, wherein the hydraulic actuator is operationally independent of the plurality of telescoping members. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein adjusting the position of the bubble tube frame of the turbidity curtain further includes actuating a set of winches mechanically coupled to the plurality of telescoping members.