Abstract:
Described are a vessel and vessel/barge systems for dredging underwater surfaces. The vessel includes a hull with a bottom, bow portion, stern portion, port side, and starboard side. The vessel also includes a deck supported by the hull and a pump system mounted within the hull. A drag arm pivotably couples to the pump system. The vessel additionally includes a void defined by contiguous watertight walls or bulkheads joined to and extending upward from the bottom of the hull. The contiguous watertight walls or bulkheads are (i) vertically extensive of a perimeters of an aperture in the bottom of the hull, (ii) outboard, astern, and forward the aperture, or (iii) some combination thereof. The barge is releasably coupled to the vessel. Moreover, the barge is in fluidic communication with the drag arm.
Abstract:
A dredging head assembly (12) for deploying on the bed (6) of a body of water (2), is provided, the assembly comprising a cutter housing (104) having a cutting opening (122) for extending over a section of the bed from which material is to be removed; a cutting assembly (130a) disposed within the cutter housing, the cutting assembly operable through the cutting opening in the cutter housing to loosen material from the bed; and an outlet opening (148) in the cutter housing for removing water and entrained material from within the cutter housing under suction; wherein the cutter housing comprises a plurality of holes (140;240) therein, in use water being drawn into the cutter housing through the holes under the action of reduced fluid pressure within the cutter housing. A dredging assembly (10) comprising the dredging head assembly (12) and a method of dredging are also provided.
Abstract:
Described is an intake funnel (3) for a wet salt harvester (1). The intake funnel has an inlet end (4) connectable to a cutter head (5) and an outlet end (6) connectable to a pump installation (7). The intake funnel (3) comprises a middle section (8) arranged between the inlet end (4) and outlet end (6). The middle section (8) is provided with a branch pipe (9) with a valve (10) for allowing liquid to be introduced into the intake funnel (3). The intake funnel (3) is provided with a grate plate (13) located at a front end (4a) of the inlet end (4) of the intake funnel (3). The intake funnel (3) is peculiar in that the intake funnel (3) is provided with a number of inlet ports (14) for injecting pressurized liquid in the opposite direction of suction flow towards the funnel inlet grate plate (13).
Abstract:
A device for the collection of gravel from a submerged bed includes a head which is connectable to an inflow of a suction pump and an outflow of a fluid pump. The head includes a tubular member defining a gravel intake opening which is in fluid communication with the inflow and one or more jets in fluid communication with the outflow.
Abstract:
Method and device for moving subsea rocks and sediments, also at significant depths, e.g. in connection with removal of protective rocks around subsea installations, where maintenance is to be conducted. The device comprises a rigid or at least partly flexible tubing (5) thorough which the masses (14) may be transported with the aid of a pressure gradient produced by an ejector nozzle (11) arranged externally in relation to said tubing. The nozzle (11) is fed with water from a water pump (12). The device further comprises a chassis (F) adapted to be transported along the (sea) bottom. The required power is arranged to be supplied through a cable (3) from the surface, while the tubing (5) preferably is arranged to be remotely controlled by a manipulator (9, 9").
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a flexible suctioning device for suctioning floes from the bottom of large artificial water bodies with surfaces larger than 10,000 m and with bottoms covered with plastic liners that do not have centralized filtration systems, and that is able to clean a bottom surface of large artificial water bodies at a surface cleaning rate of 325,000 ft 2 per 24 hours (30,000 m 2 per 24 hours) or more, where the bottom surface of the large artificial water bodies can be irregular and sloped, and where the suctioning device is reversible and is supported by a plurality of brushes, comprising first brushes, disposed to provide appropriate support to the suction device and minimize the dispersion and re-suspension of settled floes. The suctioning device is designed in order to concentrate the suction power in a series of suction points, where the suctioning device is connected to an external filtration system that may not be attached to the suctioning device.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a dredging arrangement for dredging material from an underwater bottom (6). The dredging arrangement comprises a drag head body (11) and a visor (12), the visor (12) being connected to the drag head body (11) and is moveable with respect to the drag head body (11) over a predetermined range. The biasing device (60) is provided in between the drag head body (11) and the visor (12) exerting a biasing force on the visor (12) over a biasing portion of the predetermined range, the biasing portion being at least 25% of the range.
Abstract:
A pollutant removal system particularly useful in removing pollutants from hard surface material, such as sand, gravel, rock and metal surfaces, includes a vacuum truck and a vacuum nozzle assembly mountable to a mobile vehicle, such as a backhoe having an articulated and extendable arm, wherein the vacuum nozzle assembly is operatively connected to a high pressure water source to direct a high pressure water stream to the hard surface material and operatively connected to the intake end of the vacuum hose affixed to the vacuum truck pump.
Abstract:
A self cleaning collecting apparatus and method are provided for the collection of seafloor material. The collecting apparatus, which operates on a seafloor, has a plurality of rotating discs in front of a slurry suction pipe with clearing members located between adjacent discs. Any oversize material lodged in the discs during collection is dislodged by the one or more clearing members and prevented from entering the slurry suction pipe, thus preventing blockages caused by oversize material congesting the slurry suction pipe.
Abstract:
A cutter suction dredger comprises a pontoon (1), a ladder (2), one end of which is suspended from the pontoon, which ladder can be brought into a downwardly directed position with respect to the pontoon, a cutter head (3) for cutting off rock or soil on the other end of the ladder, an extraction unit for extracting rock or soil which has been cut loose, at least one spud pole (4), interacting with the pontoon, for anchoring the pontoon with respect to a water bed (24), as well as a supporting device (49, 52, 53) close to the cutter head for supporting the cutter head with respect to the water bed. In addition, stabilization means (59, 65, 66) are provided to stabilize the cutter head (3) and/or ladder (2) with respect to and along the plane defined by the water bed.