Patent ID: 9260831
Filing Date: 2016-02-16
CPC Classification: E02B

Claim Text:
1. A barrier system for dissipating energy in a body of fluid, the barrier system comprising: one or more barrier units, each barrier unit comprising an outer wall that defines a hollow inner chamber, each barrier unit having a lower end and an upper end, and each barrier unit being dimensioned such that a first width in a first direction at the upper end is less than a second width in the first direction at the lower end; a lower aperture defined at the lower end of the one or more barrier units, the lower end configured to allow fluid to flow in and out of the hollow inner chamber; an upper aperture defined at the upper end of the one or more barrier units, the upper end being configured to allow fluid to flow in and out of the hollow inner chamber; and a buoyancy control system for controlling the buoyancy of the one or more bather units, wherein the buoyancy control system allows each barrier unit to selectively float at a respective selective position with the respective upper aperture positioned above the body of fluid and the lower aperture submerged within the body of fluid, and wherein the buoyancy control system allows each barrier unit to be selectively entirely submerged; wherein fluid moving upwardly within the inner chamber is deflected inwardly, and the energy of the fluid within the inner chamber is dissipated.