Granted Patent B2

US 10,077,540 · App. 15/434,622 · Granted Sep 18, 2018

Abstract

Claims (28)

1. A corrosion-resistant cover system, comprising:

a corrosion-resistant cover structured and configured to be arrangeable around an object having one or more metallic surfaces that are susceptible to corrosion,

wherein the corrosion-resistant cover is operable to provide increased corrosion resistance to the object by preventing contact between the one or more metallic surfaces and ambient conditions of an underwater environment exterior to the corrosion-resistant cover,

wherein the corrosion-resistant cover is operable to provide one or more fluid channels between an interior of the corrosion-resistant cover and the one or more metallic surfaces of the object,

the cover system further comprising one or more pumping assemblies arranged on the cover and operable to inject a treated fluid into the one or more fluid channels,

wherein the one or more pumping assemblies each comprise a pump operable to move yet-treated fluid or the treated fluid through the pumping assembly,

wherein the one or more pumping assemblies each comprise an inlet in communication with an ambient fluid exterior to the corrosion-resistant cover and an outlet in communication with the one or more fluid channels.

2. The corrosion-resistant cover system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pumping assemblies each further comprise one or more fluid treaters operable to receive an incoming fluid and treat the incoming fluid in order to change one or more properties of the incoming fluid, and to output the treated fluid.

3. The corrosion-resistant cover system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more fluid treaters comprise at least one of a desalinizator, a deoxidizer, a pH adjustor, and an additive supplier.

4. The corrosion-resistant cover system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pumping assemblies further comprises a controller operable to receive instructions and control one or more pumps and one or more fluid treaters of the pumping assembly.

5. The corrosion-resistant cover system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pumping assemblies further comprises a fluid tester operable to determine and/or quantify properties of an incoming fluid.

6. The corrosion-resistant cover system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pumping assemblies further comprises a heat pump and a heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to receive thermal energy from the heat pump and transfer the thermal energy to an incoming fluid or to the treated fluid, to increase a temperature of the incoming fluid or the treated fluid.

7. The corrosion-resistant cover system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more pumping assemblies further comprises a heat exchanger and a turbine, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to transfer received thermal energy to the turbine for driving the treated fluid through the one or more channels.

8. The corrosion-resistant cover system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more baffles depending from an interior surface of the corrosion-resistant cover, which are operable to prevent a backflow of treated liquid within the one or more channels.

9. The corrosion-resistant cover system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more studs structured and arranged within the channel to maintain a gap between the corrosion-resistant cover and the one or more metallic surfaces of the object.

10. The corrosion-resistant cover system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more helical fins structured and arranged within the channel to promote a circumferential component of flow to the treated fluid within the channel.

11. The corrosion-resistant cover system of claim 1 , further comprising studs that do not traverse an entire width of the channel structured and arranged within the channel to induce mixing and/or homogeneity of the treated fluid passing through the channel.

12. The corrosion-resistant cover system of claim 1 , wherein the object comprises a hollow metal tube of a transportation system in the underwater environment.

13. The corrosion-resistant cover system of claim 1 , wherein the corrosion-resistant cover comprises an accretion layer formed on an outer surface of the metal tube.

14. The corrosion-resistant cover system of claim 1 , wherein the pumping assembly is arranged on an outer surface of the cover.

15. A method of providing corrosion resistance to a metal tube in an underwater environment, the method comprising:

arranging a corrosion-resistant cover around the metal tube such that the metal tube is protected from contact with ambient seawater of the underwater environment, and so that one or more fluid channels are provided between an interior surface of the corrosion-resistant cover and an outer surface of the metal tube;

intaking ambient seawater into a pumping assembly arranged on the cover and comprising one or more pumps and one or more fluid treatment devices, wherein the pumping assembly comprises an inlet in communication with an ambient fluid exterior to the corrosion-resistant cover and an outlet in communication with the one or more fluid channels;

treating the ambient seawater with the one or more fluid treatment devices to produce a treated fluid having reduced corrosive properties; and

injecting the treated fluid into the one or more channels via the outlet such that the treated fluid having reduced corrosive properties is in contact with the outer surface of the metal tube.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the treated fluid having reduced corrosive properties has at least one of: a lowered salt concentration than that of the ambient seawater, a reduced oxygen content than that of the ambient seawater, and an increased a pH value than that of the ambient seawater.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising applying an electrical current to the outer surface of the metal tube while passing the treated fluid through the one or more channels to form an accretion layer on the outer surface of the metal tube.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the pumping assembly is arranged on an outer surface of the cover.

Assignments (8)