Patent ID: 9623448
Date: 2017-04-18
CPC Classifications: B08B,B63B,F16L,G01V

Claim:
1. A cleaning apparatus for an ocean bottom cable including a plurality of node casings interconnected by stress elements comprising: an initial flushing device configured to flush the ocean bottom cable with seawater; a loading/unloading apparatus disposed downstream from the initial flushing device, wherein the loading/unloading apparatus is configured to unload a sensor capsule from a node casing during retrieval of the ocean bottom cable to a seismic survey vessel; a washing tunnel disposed downstream from the loading/unloading apparatus, wherein the washing tunnel is configured to flush the sensor capsule with water supplied from a freshwater tank through a waterfeed pipe and water nozzles; first conveyor means configured to convey the sensor capsule from the unloading apparatus to a service station during said retrieval and in an opposite direction during a deployment; and second conveyor means configured to convey the stress elements and node casings from the loading/unloading apparatus to a storage reel during said retrieval and in the opposite direction during the deployment.