EP-4735755-A2 - UNDERWATER ANCHORING DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS

Abstract

The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method of submersible deployment that includes submersing a submersible turbine toward an anchor seated along a bottom of a body of water so that tail portion of the submersible turbine is oriented closer to a cap of the anchor and upstream of a nose portion of the submersible turbine, urging the submersible turbine against a direction of flow of the body of water such that a channel defined along a ventral portion of the submersible turbine is drawn over a cap of the anchor, and while the cap is slidably engaged the submersible turbine, rotating the submersible turbine about the cap such that the nose portion is oriented upstream of the tail portion.

Inventors

• CHRISTOPHER, THEODORE J.

Assignees

• Verterra Energy Inc.

Dates

Publication Date

20260506

Application Date

20240628

Claims (20)

1. 1. A submersible system comprising: an anchor having a cap configured to be submerged along a bottom of a body of water; and a submersible turbine configured to rotate relative to the anchor while submerged to releasably lock the submersible turbine to the anchor.
2. 2. The submersible system of claim 1 , wherein the submersible turbine includes a socket in the lower face to releasably mate with the cap of the anchor.
3. 3. The submersible system of claim 1 , wherein the submersible turbine comprises: an outer housing having a hydrodynamic shape configured to orient the submersible turbine relative to a fluid flow and having a hydrodynamic center, the outer housing defining a bow portion, a stem portion, and a ventral portion; a primary attachment point configured to affix the submersible turbine to a tether; and a deployment attachment point arranged proximal the stern portion and configured to releasably affix the submersible turbine to a tether, wherein a channel is defined in the outer housing and extends from an open end proximal the stem portion and configured to receive the cap, to a terminal end arranged forward of the hydrodynamic center and configured to at least partly retain the cap.
4. 4. The submersible system of claim 2, wherein the outer housing is configured to produce a ventral downforce based on a forward fluid flow from the bow portion toward the stern portion, and is configured to produce substantially offsetting ventral downforce and dorsal lift based on a reverse fluid flow from the stern portion toward the bow portion.
5. 5. The submersible system of claim 2, wherein the channel is configured as a U- shaped channel proximal to the open end, and the channel is configured as a C-shaped channel proximal to the terminal end and configured to at least partly retain the cap.
6. 6. A method of submersible deployment, comprising: submersing a submersible turbine toward an anchor seated along a bottom of a body of water so that tail portion of the submersible turbine is oriented closer to a cap of the anchor and upstream of a nose portion of the submersible turbine; urging the submersible turbine against a direction of flow of the body of water such that a channel defined along a ventral portion of the submersible turbine is drawn over a cap of the anchor; and while the cap is slidably engaged the submersible turbine, rotating the submersible turbine about the cap such that the nose portion is oriented upstream of the tail portion.
7. 7. The method of claim 6, further comprising: arranging an anchor at a predetermined location proximal to a bottom of a region of a body of fluid having a direction of flow; orienting a tail portion of the submersible turbine into the direction of flow, the submersible turbine having a hydrodynamic center and defining a nose portion, the tail portion, a ventral portion, and a channel defined along the ventral portion, the channel having an open portion extending from an open end proximal to the tail portion to a partly enclosed portion having a terminal end arranged forward of the hydrodynamic center; engaging the cap of the anchor within the open portion; retaining the cap within the partly enclosed portion; urging the submersible turbine with the direction of flow such that the channel is drawn over the cap; and contacting the cap with a terminal end of the channel along a ventral portion of the submersible turbine in response to movement the submersible turbine with the direction of flow.
8. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein arranging the anchor at the predetermined location proximal to the bottom of a region of a body of fluid having the direction of flow further comprises screwing the anchor into the bottom, or submerging the anchor to the bottom.
9. 9. The method of claim 6, further comprising: affixing a tether to the submersible turbine; extending the tether from the submersible turbine, through a retainer of the anchor, to a tether retractor apparatus; wherein: submersing the submersible turbine toward the anchor comprises retracting, by the tether retractor apparatus; and drawing, by the tether, submersible turbine toward the retainer.
10. 10. The method of claim 6, further comprising electrically connecting a tether to the submersible turbine and to an electrical load, wherein the submersible turbine comprises an electrical generator configured to generate an electrical current along the tether.
11. 11 . The method of claim 6, further comprising; affixing a tether to a deployment attachment point arranged proximal to a tail portion of the submersible turbine; tensioning the tether; and urging the tail portion of the submersible turbine into the direction of flow based on the direction of flow and the arrangement of the deployment attachment point.
12. 12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising urging a ventral downforce based on a hydrodynamic shape of the submersible turbine and a forward fluid flow from the nose portion toward the tail portion, and produce substantially offsetting ventral downforce or dorsal lift based on a hydrodynamic configuration of the submersible turbine and a reverse fluid flow from the tail portion toward the nose portion.
13. 13. The method of claim 6, further comprising: drawing the channel over the cap; escaping the cap from the channel; and surfacing the submersible turbine based on a positive buoyancy of the submersible turbine.
14. 14. An assembly for submersible use, comprising: an anchor comprising: a cap; and a base affixed to the cap and configured to maintain a position submerged at a predetermined location proximal a bottom of a region of a flowing body of fluid; and a submersible apparatus comprising: an outer housing having a hydrodynamic shape configured to orient the submersible apparatus relative to a fluid flow and having a hydrodynamic center, the outer housing defining a bow portion, a stern portion, and a ventral portion; and a channel defined along the ventral portion and extending from an open end proximal the stem portion and configured to receive the cap, to a terminal end arranged forward of the hydrodynamic center and configured to at least partly retain the cap.
15. 15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the channel is configured as a U-shaped channel proximal to the open end, and the channel is configured as a C-shaped channel proximal to the terminal end.
16. 16. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the base comprises a screw piling anchor or a gravity anchor.
17. 17. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the submersible apparatus further comprises a primary attachment point configured to affix the submersible apparatus to a tether, and a deployment attachment point arranged proximal the stern portion and configured to releasably affix the submersible apparatus to a tether.
18. 18. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the anchor further comprises a tether retainer configured to retain a tether arranged therethrough.
19. 19. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the outer housing is configured to produce a ventral downforce based on a forward fluid flow from the bow portion toward the stern portion, and is configured to produce substantially offsetting ventral downforce and dorsal lift based on a reverse fluid flow from the stern portion toward the bow portion.
20. 20. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the submersible apparatus comprises: a vertical-axis turbine that rotates about an axis in response to fluid flowing toward the vertical-axis turbine in a flow direction that is generally perpendicular to the axis, the vertical-axis turbine including a dorsal portion and a plurality of dorsally protruding fins extending from an outer region proximate an outer periphery of the vertical-axis turbine.

Description

Underwater Anchoring Devices, Systems, and Methods CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 18/216,966 filed June 30, 2023, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] This document relates to anchor techniques for a submersible apparatus, for example, diverless anchoring of a submersible turbine system that rotates to generate electrical power from fluid flow. BACKGROUND [0003] Various turbine systems generate electrical power in response to rotation of a turbine. For example, numerous wind turbine systems attempt to harvest the wind energy from air flow over a set of wind turbine blades, which drive the wind turbine blades to rotate about an axis and thereby drive an internal generator to output electrical energy. In another example, conventional hydro turbine systems seek to convert energy from water currents in rivers or tidal currents in oceans or seas into electrical energy. Some turbine systems include turbines that rotate about a vertical axis, for example, in response to fluid flow in a direction generally perpendicular to the vertical axis. [0004] Deployment of underwater structures and devices can be difficult and costly to perform. Underwater construction requires the time and talents of divers with specialized construction skills. Such work is often made even more challenging and potentially hazardous by the water currents present at locations where flows are sufficient to actuate turbine systems. SUMMARY [0005] In general, this document describes anchors for diverless anchoring of submersible apparatuses. In some examples, the anchors provide a pivotable mount for a turbine that rotates in response to off-axis fluid flow, such as water flowing in a generally horizontal direction generally perpendicular to a vertical axis of rotation. A rampart device may act as a shield apparatus and may direct and control flow upstream or otherwise proximate the turbine. In some examples, the turbine system employs a synergistic combination of fluid dynamics principals to harvest the kinetic energy of moving water or other fluid for conversion into mechanical rotary motion. For example, the turbine system can provide a vertical-axis turbine that rotates in one direction regardless of the direction of the fluid flow, and that may be positioned with a rampart device that directs flow proximate the turbine to protect and promote energy harvesting by the turbine system. [0006] In a general example, a submersible system includes an anchor having a cap configured to be submerged along a bottom of a body of water, and a submersible turbine configured to rotate relative to the anchor while submerged to releasable lock the submersible turbine to the anchor. [0007] Various examples can include some, all, or none of the following features. The submersible turbine can include a socket in the lower face to releasably mate with cap of the anchor. The submersible turbine can include an outer housing having a hydrodynamic shape configured to orient the submersible turbine relative to a fluid flow and having a hydrodynamic center, the outer housing defining a bow portion, a stern portion, and a ventral portion, a primary attachment point configured to affix the submersible turbine to a tether, and a deployment attachment point arranged proximal the stern portion and configured to releasably affix the submersible turbine to a tether, wherein a channel is defined in the outer housing and extends from an open end proximal the stem portion and configured to receive the cap, to a terminal end arranged forward of the hydrodynamic center and configured to at least partly retain the cap. The outer housing can be configured to produce a ventral downforce based on a forward fluid flow from the bow portion toward the stern portion, and can be configured to produce substantially offsetting ventral downforce and dorsal lift based on a reverse fluid flow from the stern portion toward the bow portion. The channel can be configured as a U-shaped channel proximal to the open end, and the channel can be configured as a C-shaped channel proximal to the terminal end and configured to at least partly retain the cap. [0008] In another general example, a method of submersible deployment includes submersing a submersible turbine toward an anchor seated along a bottom of a body of water so that tail portion of the submersible turbine is oriented closer to a cap of the anchor and upstream of a nose portion of the submersible turbine, urging the submersible turbine against a direction of flow of the body of water such that a channel defined along a ventral portion of the submersible turbine is drawn over a cap of the anchor, and while the cap is slidably engaged the submersible turbine, rotating the submersible turbine about the cap such that the nose portion is oriented upstream of the tail portion. [0009] Various examples can include some