Patent ID: 7938957
Filing Date: 2011-05-10
Classification: B01D,E03B,Y10T

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for use in a body of fluid, comprising: two flotation ballasts, arranged parallel with respect to each other and in a same horizontal plane, each having a ballast chamber, each of the two flotation ballasts further comprising a cylinder having an end cap on each end of the cylinder, thus forming the ballast chamber, the end caps coupled to the cylinder forming a substantially water proof and air tight seal between the outside thereof and the ballast chamber; a flotation platform coupled to the two flotation ballasts; intake equipment coupled to the flotation platform between the two flotation ballasts in essentially the same horizontal plane; at least one primary air line, the distal end being coupled via at least one combiner to a plurality of subsidiary air lines at the apparatus, each respective subsidiary line being coupled to at least one inlet at each of the two flotation ballasts, the at least one primary air line and subsidiary air lines operable as a conduit for the injection of a compressed gas into each ballast chamber of the two flotation ballasts so as to displace a fluid ballast there-from and further operable as a release to allow the egress of the compressed gas from the two flotation ballasts; each of the two flotation ballasts having an aperture on the bottom thereof, the aperture operable to allow the ingress and egress of a fluid ballast into and out of the ballast chamber, the arrangement of the two flotation ballasts with respect to each other being such that, when placed on the surface of a body of fluid and prior to having fluid introduced into the respective ballast chambers, the center axis of each of the two flotation ballasts are parallel to each other, and the plane in which the center axes lie is substantially parallel to the surface of the body of fluid with the respective apertures submerged.