Steerable fairing string
Embodiments herein include a fairing for a marine seismic array system that includes a foil having a leading edge and a trailing edge and defining a chord length and a span length, a first interior conduit oriented along the span length aft of the leading edge, and a second interior conduit oriented along the span length forward of the trailing edge. The conduits are separated by a distance. A first cable having a first length extends within the first conduit and a second cable having a second length extends within the second conduit, and the fairing can rotate about the first cable within the first conduit.
1. A fairing configured for attachment within a marine seismic array to provide lateral hydrodynamic lift to a component of the marine seismic array, the fairing comprising:
a foil having a leading edge and a trailing edge and defining a chord length and a span length;
a first interior conduit oriented along the span length aft of the leading edge;
a second interior conduit oriented along the span length forward of the trailing edge, and separated by a distance from the first interior conduit;
a first cable having a first length extending within the first interior conduit, wherein the fairing can rotate about the first cable within the first interior conduit; and
a second cable having a second length extending within the second interior conduit.
2. The fairing of claim 1 , wherein the foil defines an asymmetrical foil cross section on opposing sides of a plane defining the chord length through the foil.
3. The fairing of claim 1 , wherein the foil is flexible along the span length.
4. The fairing of claim 1 , wherein the foil is a solid body that defines the first and second interior conduits.
5. The fairing of claim 1 , wherein the foil comprises a plurality of discrete foil segments having segment span lengths arranged serially along the first and second cables, wherein a sum of the segment span lengths defines the span length of the foil, wherein each of the foil segments defines a common chord length.
6. The fairing of claim 5 , wherein each of the foil segments defines an asymmetrical foil cross section on opposing sides of a plane defining the chord length through the foil.
7. The fairing of claim 1 further comprising a first depressor positioned at a first end of the span length of the foil.
8. The fairing of claim 7 further comprising a second depressor positioned at a second end of the span length of the foil opposite the first end of the span length.
9. A marine seismic survey system comprising:
a marine seismic array;
a fairing configured for attachment within the marine seismic array to provide lateral hydrodynamic lift to a component of the marine seismic array, the fairing comprising:
a foil having a leading edge and a trailing edge and defining a chord length and a span length;
a first interior conduit oriented along the span length aft of the leading edge; and
a second interior conduit oriented along the span length forward of the trailing edge, and separated by a distance from the first interior conduit;
a first cable having a first length extending within the first interior conduit, wherein the fairing can rotate about the first cable within the first interior conduit; and
a second cable having a second length extending within the second interior conduit.
10. The marine seismic survey system of claim 9 , wherein the foil is flexible along the span length.
11. The marine seismic survey system of claim 9 , wherein the foil is a solid body that defines the first and second interior conduits.
12. The marine seismic survey system of claim 9 , wherein the foil comprises a plurality of discrete foil segments having segment span lengths arranged serially along the first and second cables, wherein a sum of the segment span lengths defines the span length of the foil.
13. The marine seismic survey system of claim 12 , wherein each of the foil segments defines a common chord length.
14. The marine seismic survey system of claim 13 , wherein each of the foil segments is a solid body that defines the first and second interior conduits.
15. The marine seismic survey system of claim 13 , wherein each of the foil segments defines an asymmetrical foil cross section on opposing sides of a plane defining the chord length through the foil.
16. The marine seismic survey system of claim 9 , wherein the first and second interior conduits are centered on a plane defining the chord length through the foil.
17. The marine seismic survey system of claim 9 , wherein the first and second interior conduits are offset to either side of a plane defining the chord length through the foil.
18. The marine seismic survey system of claim 9 , wherein a diameter of the first interior conduit is larger than a diameter of the first cable to facilitate a rotation of the first fairing about the first cable.
19. The marine seismic survey system of claim 9 further comprising a first depressor positioned at a first end of the span length of the foil.
20. The marine seismic survey system of claim 19 further comprising a second depressor positioned at a second end of the span length of the foil opposite the first end of the span length.