Abstract:
There is provided a bulk delivery system for moving bulk material from an elevation below the surface of a host to the host surface. The delivery system includes a storage system mounted on the host surface, a device submersible in the bulk material for lifting the bulk material to the host surface, and a flexible conduit connecting the storage system with the lifting device. The device for lifting the bulk material may be a pump or an eductor. When an eductor is used, a motive conduit is attached to the eductor for introducing a motive product, such as air or previously recovered bulk material into the eductor for drawing the bulk material therein and into the flexible conduit leading to the host surface. The storage system is rotatably mounted on the host for rotation between an operating position in which the flexible conduit and lifting device are located over the bulk material and a storage position in which the flexible conduit and lifting device are stored on the host.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/676,142 entitled. “Bulk Delivery System,” filed on Apr. 29, 2005 in the United States Patent and Trademark Office. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT Not Applicable.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     This present invention relates to a bulk delivery system, and more particularly to a device for delivering liquid or dry bulk loads to an elevated host in a body of water.  
         [0004]     2. Background of the Invention  
         [0005]     Delivering large amounts of sea water to elevated offshore floating and fixed structures to support day-to-day operations typically require either large bulky structures or high maintenance set-ups. Seawater and bulk material delivery to offshore drilling rigs is critical to the functionality of the work involved with drilling and producing petroleum products. The seawater is used for cooling engines, fire fighting and often for purified drinking, septic and drilling water. The delivery system is not limited to seawater, but encompasses various types of bulk materials, such as fresh water, drilling mud, dry bulk material, etc.  
         [0006]     Delivering seawater and bulk material to offshore structures is considered a load management tool. Seawater is used to perform tasks such as freshwater production and drilling water that would otherwise require large storage facilities for day-to-day use. Minimizing or eliminating the need for storing freshwater on the offshore structure reduces or eliminates the associated costs for supporting these loads.  
         [0007]     The present invention not only reduces the storage loads of freshwater required but also provides a delivery system that is very light, safe, and easy to maintain. Load reductions and low maintenance seawater provide lower offshore exploration and production costs. These delivery systems are designed to work with the environmental forces of the bodies of water, such as currents and reactions from waves.  
         [0008]     The hosts described in this patent are either offshore surface floating vessels or bottom fixed structures with an exposed surface above the water. Floating vessels are such as ships; boats; floating drilling and production platforms like SPARs, TLPs and DDCVs; floating storage and production vessels; semi-submersibles; drillships; and barges. Bottom fixed hosts are secured to the bottom of a body of water and relate to structures such as drilling and production platforms, jack-ups, artificial islands, docks and fixed habitats. The bodies of water, fresh or saline, described in this patent refer to oceans, seas, gulfs, bays, bayous, lakes, rivers and streams.  
         [0009]     Description of the Related Art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,514 issued to Dron on Jan. 8, 1985 discloses a method and means for providing a protective environment for submerged pumps. A submerged water pump, a shell, or casing is installed to enclose at least a lower portion of the pump, and a protective fluid medium, typically compressed air, is introduced in the shell to exclude water from contacting the pump operating components or lines when the pump is not in use. Means are provided for quickly removing the protective medium and permitting water to enter the pump when it is desired to put the pump into operation.  
         [0010]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,377.763 issued to Pearce et al. on Jan. 3, 1995 discloses a riser pipe assembly for interconnecting a subsea wellhead on an ocean floor with an above-surface platform. The assembly includes at least one cable extending generally between the wellhead and the platform to provide vertical support for the assembly. A plurality of support plates are fixed to the cable at predetermined spaced locations therealong. At least one riser pipe string extends between the wellhead and the platform and includes a plurality of riser pipes engaged end-to-end. In one embodiment of the invention, each riser pipe includes a lower bell-shaped end and an upper spigot-shaped end inserted into the bell-shaped end of the immediately adjacent riser pipe thereabove. The lower bell-shaped end of each riser pipe rests by gravity on and is supported by one of the support plates. In another embodiment of the invention, each riser pipe includes an upper bell-shaped end and a lower spigot-shaped end inserted into the bell-shaped end of the immediately adjacent riser pipe therebelow. The enlarged juncture of the upper bell-shaped end of each riser pipe rests by gravity on and is supported by one of the support plates.  
         [0011]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,833,503 issued to Kallio on Nov. 10, 1998 discloses a bottom well and sea water piping system for vessels with which system the supply of sea water is provided for a vessel for engine cooling and other uses. The invention has only one bottom well preferably arranged on the vessel&#39;s middle line, and that the sea water piping as a whole is on the delivery side of submersible pumps. All the openings and lead-throughs of the bottom well are above the water level, most preferably on a covering plate. The sea water piping system is regulated by a heat regulating valve and a pressure regulating valve. The flow is regulated with an operating speed regulator for the motors of the submersible pumps by means of a frequency converter.  
         [0012]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,848,641 issued to Epp on Dec. 15, 1998 discloses an apparatus for raising and lowering a submersible pump in a well. A cylindrical drum for reeling flexible water pipe is mounted for rotation at one side of the well. A cavity is provided in the drum for accommodating connectors or other large items at the top of the well, and a guide is provided at the top of the well for guiding water pipe vertically from the well and substantially horizontally to the cylindrical drum. An electric drive is provided for rotating the drum, the drive being mounted to accommodate sudden stopping of the drum due to jamming of the submersible pump or the water pipe secured to the pump as the pump is being withdrawn from the well.  
         [0013]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,248,242 issued to Martin on Jun. 19, 2001 discloses a system for bulk delivery of potable spring water to a customer&#39;s home. This system includes a bulk water supply truck equipped with a pumping system and an onboard ozone generator for delivery of potable tank water to a customer&#39;s supply tank. The supply tank is not pressurized, but uses an electric pump to deliver potable water to the individual faucets in the customer&#39;s home.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for delivering liquid or dry bulk loads to an elevated host in a body of water. Other features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a front view of the preferred embodiment of the bulk delivery system.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2A  is a front view of an embodiment of the operating bulk delivery system using an electric pump.  
         [0017]      FIG. 2B  is a front view of an embodiment of the operating bulk delivery system using an eductor.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the conduit  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is an isometric view of the mounted reel system.  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the stored reel system  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of the reel system mounted on an alternative host.  
         [0022]      FIG. 7A  is an alternative embodiment of the bulk delivery system.  
         [0023]      FIG. 7B  is a detail view of the eductor portion of the bulk delivery system of  FIG. 7A .  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  is an alternative embodiment, providing a pump for delivering bulk or water through the reel system. 
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0025]     The bulk delivery system is attached to the host in a body of water. A method of delivering the fluid or bulk material to the host is by either a submerged pump on the end of the conduit or an eductor motivating the fluid to the host by a pump stationed on the host. The materials delivered by this device are not stored on the host, cost effectively reducing variable loads that would otherwise be supported by the offshore host. The variable loads stored off the host and delivered by the delivery system are products used by the host to perform their day-to-day operations. These stored materials (or variable loads) are not limited to, but include: seawater, drillwater, potable water, drilling muds, completion fluids, diesel fuel, pre-load fluids, chemicals used in drilling muds and chemicals used to treat wells.  
         [0026]     The delivery system is a conduit with a conduit storage device and a tool to move or motivate bulk material from a low level to a higher level. The conduit varies in length and diameter, depending on the application. The conduit is made up of a flexible material, which is stored on the conduit storage device. The conduit storage device can be a spool driven by a motor or gear. The tool used to drive the bulk material from a low level to a higher level can be a submerged eductor or a submerged pump.  
         [0027]     The delivery system may take on various forms, depending on the application. This example is described in the next paragraph and demonstrated in  FIGS. 1-2 . The method of moving the material up to the host can be by a pump attached to the end of the conduit.  
         [0028]     The pump can be driven either by electricity, hydraulics or air. The pump is submerged in the material and in turn drives the material to a higher elevation through the conduit. The material is dispersed to the host when it reaches the conduit storage system. Another method to move the material up to the host is by using an eductor as shown in  FIG. 2 . The eductor is attached to the end of the return conduit. A fluid or bulk material is pumped from the host down a smaller motive conduit through the eductor on the end of the larger return conduit. The jetting force of the conduit creates a vacuum in the eductor and forces the bulk material up the larger return conduit. A single motive line and eductor or a series of eductors and motive lines may accomplish this. Air may also be pumped down to the lower section of the return line to help motivate the fluid up the return line. The combination of the eductor system as just described will depend on the bulk material, the elevation of the host above the bulk to the bulk material and the rate of return flow desired.  
         [0029]     The configuration of the conduit can take on various forms as shown in  FIG. 3 . The conduit is made of a flexible material to allow easy retrieval of the pump and conduit system onto a storage device. The flexible material is a lightweight material that reduces loads to the host and allows for a smaller storage device, further reducing the load on the offshore host. The conduit may be made up of several components, depending on the application. If the pump is a submerged electrical pump, the conduit may have embedded in it a cable to provide electricity. If the pump is hydraulically driven, the conduit may have a hydraulic line within the flexible conduit. An airline may be run in the conduit to run a pneumatic submerged pump or provide motive to the bulk material returning to the host. The flexible conduit may also have cables running the length of the conduit to support the weight of the pump, bulk and conduit. This may enhance the integrity of the conduit in harsh environments and prevent stretching of the conduit. Another characteristic to the conduit is the flexibility of its make-up. Flexibility of the conduit allows easy storage if it flattens out when rolled up in the storage device. The embedded cables or auxiliary hoses will roll up with the conduit in a compact bundle. This bundle gives the system the benefit of being lightweight and small benefiting the offshore host by removing weight and using less space than other delivery systems. The conduit bundle is also easily plugged into the storage system on one end and the pump or eductor on the opposite end. A cover (or covers) made of flame resistant or flameproof material protects the hose and cable. The cover jackets the hose and contains the cabling to make one hose bundle.  
         [0030]     The delivery system for the conduit and pump is a compact system as shown in  FIG. 1 . It is a smaller system than other delivery systems as a result of the all the contributing components of the total system. The storage system rolls the conduit and associated cables or hoses onto a drum designed specifically for the application. The storage system provides plug-ins to the conduit, cables or hoses, allowing removal of the conduit as a bundle in case the conduit is damaged.  
         [0031]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the bulk delivery system is generally made up of a flexible conduit  3  made of material such as rubber based product, rubber-coated fabric or similar material, but is not restricted to these types of materials. The conduit  3  is retrieved, deployed and stored or a storage system  2  composed of a reel  13 , base  18  and drive mechanism  12 . A pump  4  or eductor  5  is attached to the end of the conduit  3 . Conduit  3  is provided with a cover or jacket  9 . Jacket  9  is omitted in some embodiments of the invention. Conduit  3  wraps around drum  14  of reel  13  when it is stored on storage system  2 .  
         [0032]     As shown in  FIG. 2 , the bulk delivery system draws the bulk material  11  from a lower elevation  23  by either means of an electrical pump  4  attached to the end of the conduit  3  or an eductor  5 . The eductor set-up  5  is configured according to the material moved and the elevation of lift required. There may be a series of eductors staged at different elevations or there may be additional motive products introduced to the motive line  17 , such as air  16 . In  FIG. 2B , the educting method is demonstrated in simple form where a return line  6  from a motive reel  20  allows the bulk material  21  to be pumped down and into the eductor  5 . The bulk material  21  causes a vacuum across the entry port  24  of the eductor  5  and motivates an additional volume of bulk from the bulk material  11  up the flexible conduit  3 . More volume of bulk material  11  travels up the flexible conduit  3  than is pumped down the return line  6 . The net result is a flow of bulk  11  to the host from the bulk source  11 . The electric pump method has an electrical power source (not shown) and power cable  8  to the electrically driven pump  4  attached to the conduit  3 . The pump pushes bulk from the bulk source  11  up the conduit  3  to the host.  
         [0033]     As shown in  FIG. 3 , flexible conduit  3  can take on various shapes and construction depending on factors such as bulk product, host height, environment and desired flow rate. The conduit  3  may also be a single flexible hose made of various materials, depending on the environment and bulk product. The conduit may be several hoses or several hoses and cables, depending on the application. Conduit  3  includes a hose portion  30  that lies flat when empty. Hose portion  30  is omitted in some embodiments of the invention. There will be a motive line (not shown) in the conduit if an eductor  5  is used (see  FIG. 7 ). Cables in the conduit may be electrical or tension supporting cables. The combination of these cables and hoses make up a bundle used to conduct bulk from the source to the host. The bundle may also be built to plug into the delivery station (not shown) and the pump  4 .  
         [0034]     As shown in  FIG. 4 , the reel system  13  can be in either an operating position  29  and cantilevered so that the conduit  3  and pump  4  will be over the bulk material, such as water. This allows the bulk to be delivered to the host  1 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the reel system  13  can also be hinged or slid over on the host  1  in a storage position  28 .  
         [0035]     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the reel system  13  can be easily up-pinned and relocated to another host or tank hatch  27  of host  1  to allow bulk material to be delivered at that location.  
         [0036]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  show an optional method of delivering bulk material  11  or water to the host  1 . An eductor  5  is fixed to the conduit  3  with associated motive lines  17  to jet or draw bulk or water  11  up to the host  1 . An additional eductor stage  34  can be added to assist in boosting the bulk material  11  to the host  1 . An additional air pump  40  and air line  42  may be added to assist in boosting the bulk  11  to the host  1  through the return line  7 . The eductor is made up of a fluid jet  25  and diffuser  26  that jets the bulk  11  to the host  1 . The motive line  17  provides the source of motive fluid to jet the bulk material  11  through the jet  25  and diffuser  26  to the return line(s)  7 . Bulk II is drawn through the eductor  5  through suction ports  35  to the return line(s)  7 . Return bulk is stored in a temporary holding tank  36  and part is pumped back down to the eductor  5  by a surface pump  46 . The additional bulk material  11  pumped to the holding tank is pumped to the host tank  44  to be used by the host  1 .  
         [0037]      FIG. 8  shows an optional method of pumping bulk material  11  or water though the reel system  13  while the reel is turned by drive mechanism  12 . An electrical slip ring  31  is attached to the reel system  13  so that the electric submerged pump  4  can be powered by the host  1 . Electrical cables  33  enter in the slip ring at the fixed electrical contacts and exit the slip ring attached to the rotating reel  13 . Bulk  11  is pumped to the reel system  13  from the submerged pump  4  and through the swivel  32 . The swivel  32  allows the reel and pipe to turn while water is pumped to the manifold  15  and to the host.  
         [0038]     The foregoing description of the invention illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof. Various changes may be made in the details of the illustrated construction within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the true spirit of the invention. The present invention should only be limited by the claims and their equivalents.