Patent ID: 11878780
Assignee: UNITED ARAB EMIRATES UNIVERSITY
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 0:
1. An autonomous hull biofouling cleaning system, comprising:
a floating platform capable of navigation to a waterborne vessel having a hull having biofouling accumulated thereon;
a motorized hose reel mounted on the floating platform;
an ozone sanitation module mounted on the floating platform, the ozone sanitation module having an ozonizer for generating ozone and an air pump for pumping the ozone;
a vacuum extraction module having a vacuum pump;
concentric hoses mounted on the motorized hose reel, the concentric hoses each having a first end and a second end, the concentric hoses including an inner hose having its first end connected to the ozone sanitation module and an outer hose defining an annular vacuum debris passage between the inner hose and the outer hose, the first end of the outer hose being connected to the vacuum extraction module; and
a submersible remotely operated cleaning system (SROCS), the second ends of the concentric hoses being connected to the SROCS, the SROCS having:
a plurality of thrusters for navigation from the floating platform to the hull of the waterborne vessel;
electromagnetic coils for attaching the SROCS to the hull of the waterborne vessel; and
rubbing discs for removing the biofouling from the hull of the waterborne vessel, the rubbing discs providing an outlet for pumping the ozone from the inner hose onto the biofouling and a central area for extracting biofouling debris removed from the hull into the annular vacuum debris passage for passage to the floating platform.