HOSE ARRANGEMENT FOR CREATING A BUBBLE CURTAIN IN BODIES OF WATER

Abstract

The present invention relates to a hose arrangement (100) for creating a bubble curtain (BS) in bodies of water, comprising at least one air hose (4) including an interior space (4b) enclosed by a wall (4a), where a perforation (9) consisting of individual punctures (9a) is introduced in the wall (4a) at least in an upper, first circumferential area (B1), from which air can be discharged, when the interior space (4b) is pressurized, for creating a bubble curtain (BC) extending in the longitudinal direction (X) of the air hose (4), and a ballast receptacle (20) including a receiving area (8) extending in the longitudinal direction (X), in which an elongates ballast element (21) is received.

The invention provides that the air hose (4) is jacketed by a support sheath (10) including material bars (10a) and intermediate openings (10b), the air hose (4) being connected in a connecting area (15) via the support sheath (10) to the ballast receptacle (20), and the openings (10b) being positioned at least in the first circumferential area (B1) of the air hose (4) so as to allow air to be discharged from the perforation (9) in the air hose (4).

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A hose arrangement for creating a bubble curtain in bodies of water, the hose arrangement comprising an air hose including a wall defining an interior space, wherein the wall further defines a plurality of punctures at least in an upper, first circumferential area of the wall relative to a longitudinal direction of the hose arrangement from which air can be discharged when the interior space is pressurized so that a bubble curtain extending in the longitudinal direction of the air hose is created, and a ballast receptacle defining a receiving area extending in the longitudinal direction of the hose arrangement and an elongated ballast element adapted to be received in the ballast receptacle in the receiving area, and a support sheath adapted to jacket at least the air hose, the support sheath including a plurality of material bars defining a plurality of intermediate openings, the plurality of intermediate openings being positioned at least at the first circumferential area of the air hose so as to allow air to be discharged from the plurality of punctures of the air hose through the plurality of intermediate openings.

16. The hose arrangement of claim 15, wherein the support sheath couples the air hose to the ballast receptacle in a connecting area of the ballast receptacle.

17. The hose arrangement of claim 15, wherein the air hose is connected to the ballast receptacle exclusively via the support sheath.

18. The hose arrangement of claim 15, wherein the support sheath jackets at least 75% of the length of the air hose.

19. The hose arrangement of claim 18, wherein the support sheath jackets the entire length of the air hose.

20. The hose arrangement of claim 16, wherein the plurality of material bars of the support sheath is formed by a web of interconnected fibers defining the plurality of intermediate openings so that the plurality of intermediate openings are mesh-type openings.

21. The hose arrangement of claim 20, wherein the web of interconnected fibers are textile or mineral fibers.

22. The hose arrangement of claim 20, wherein at least two ends of the support sheath are affixed to the connecting area of the ballast receptacle.

23. The hose arrangement of claim 22, wherein the at least two ends of the support sheath are clamped to the connecting area of the ballast receptacle.

24. The hose arrangement of claim 15, wherein the support sheath is formed from a polymer band, wherein the polymer band includes a first partial area having the plurality of material bars, the plurality of material bars defining the plurality of intermediate openings which are positioned at least at the first circumferential area of the air hose so as to allow air to be discharged from the plurality of punctures of the air hose through the plurality of intermediate openings.

25. The hose arrangement of claim 24, wherein the material bars are formed from the polymer band.

26. The hose arrangement of claim 24, wherein the material bars are coupled to the polymer band by riveting or adhesive bonding.

27. The hose arrangement of claim 24, wherein the air hose includes a second circumferential area, and wherein the first partial area of the polymer fully covers the second circumferential area of the air hose.

28. The hose arrangement of claim 24, wherein the ballast receptacle is formed by a second partial area of the polymer to receive the ballast element, the first partial area and the second partial area being formed from the polymer band so that the polymer band is a single piece.

29. The hose arrangement of claim 24, wherein at least the first partial area of the polymer band is made from a fabric layer reinforced polymer.

30. The hose arrangement of claim 15, wherein the ballast receptacle is formed by a deformable, panel-shaped element, wherein deformable, panel-shaped element includes two edge regions which are folded loop-like back onto themselves such that a hose shape defining the receiving area extending in the longitudinal direction is created, in which the ballast element is received, wherein the two edge regions of the panel-shaped element are connected in a connecting area to the support sheath.

31. The hose arrangement of claim 30, wherein connector means are arranged between the support sheath and the ballast receptacle.

32. The hose arrangement of claim 31, wherein the connector means are a screw connection, rope-type connector means, band-type connector means, nails, rivets, or pilot bolts.

33. The hose arrangement of claim 15, wherein the support sheath lies fully in loose contact with the air hose.

34. The hose arrangement of claim 15, wherein the support sheath is connected to the air hose via a substance-to-substance bond, via a PU adhesive, a clamp or a rivet connection.

Description

[0022] The invention is further illustrated in the following by means of embodiment examples. The accompanying drawing shows in:

[0023] FIG. 1 schematically, a hose arrangement according to the invention in operation,

[0024] FIG. 2 a perspective view of the hose arrangement according to FIG. 1 in a first embodiment;

[0025] FIG. 3, 4 cross-sections through the hose arrangement according to FIG. 2;

[0026] FIG. 5 a lateral view of the hose arrangement according to FIG. 2;

[0027] FIG. 6, 7 perspective representations of a hose arrangement according to FIG. 1 in a second embodiment;

[0028] FIG. 8 a representation of the hose arrangement according to FIG. 6 rolled out flat.

[0029] When building offshore installations such as wind turbines, poles 1 or pipes are driven into the bottom of the sea 3 by means of a hammering means 2 creating a large amount of noise. Marine mammals such as porpoises may suffer damage from the sound waves transmitted underwater. In order to avoid this a bubble curtain BC (Bubble Curtain) is created during the hammering works around the pole 1 to be driven by means of which the physical characteristics of the water are changed. This breaks sound waves multiple times thereby reducing the volume.

[0030] Here, to generate the bubble curtain BC, a hose arrangement 100 comprising an air hose 4 capable of being supplied with pressurized air is placed at the bottom of the sea 3 in a ring shape around the pole 1 to be hammered in, to that end, a supply vessel 5 sails around the pole 1 in an approximately circular course, thereby winding off the hose arrangement 100 including the air hose 4 of a winding winch 6 arranged on board the supply vessel 5. On board the supply vessel 5 there is also at least one special compressor 7 utilized to press pressurized air into the air hose 4 of the hose arrangement 100. The pressurized air may be pressed in from one end of the air hose 4 or even from both ends of the air hose 4.

[0031] A first embodiment of the hose arrangement 100 oriented in a longitudinal direction X is shown in FIG. 2 in a perspective view and in the FIGS. 3 and 4 in a sectional view. According to this, an air hose 4 is provided having a length L (see FIG. 5) which may be, for example, between 20 m and 30 m, with a wall 4a made from fabric layer reinforced rubber or a comparable polymer material which is surrounded or jacketed respectively by a support sheath 10. The support sheath 10 generally consists of material bars 10a with openings 10b created in-between them so that parts of the air hose 4 are exposed so as to allow air bubbles to be discharged from the air hose 4.

[0032] In the first embodiment according to the FIGS. 2 through 5, a web 12 is provided as support sheath 10 whose textile and/or mineral fibers form the material bars 10a which are interconnected at intersecting points 10c so that regular openings 10b (meshes) are created in-between the material bars 10a. As an alternative, the second embodiment according to the FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 provides that the support sheath 10 is formed by a first partial area 13a of a fabric layer reinforced polymer band 13 made of a rubber or a comparable polymer material. In this embodiment example, the material bars 10a and the openings 10b are created by cutting out the polymer band 13 in certain areas. By way of examples, two different shapes of the cut-out openings 10b or, respectively, the remaining material bars 10a are shown in FIG. 6 or FIG. 7. Alternatively, the material bars 10a in this embodiment may be made separately, whereby they preferably comprise the same or a similar elastic material as the polymer band 13 and are joined to the polymer band at their ends, for example, by riveting or adhesive bonding, so that the openings 10b are created in-between. In that case, the polymer band 13 is designed in this first partial area 13a as multi-piece.

[0033] On the underside the hose arrangement 100 in both embodiment examples comprises a ballast receptacle 20 for a ballast element 21 also extending in the longitudinal direction X by means of which the hose arrangement 100 can be secured at the bottom of the sea 3. Preferably, a connection between the air hose 4 and the ballast receptacle 20 is attained merely via the support sheath 10 so that the air hose 4 itself does not require additional extensive thermal and/or chemical and/or mechanical treatment. Merely by way of support, at certain points, e.g., at the ends and at selected intermediate positions, an additional adhesive connection may be provided, e.g. via a PU adhesive, between the support sheath 10 and the air hose 4 so as to avoid slipping or twisting of the air hose 4 within the support sheath 10. In addition or as an alternative hereto, at certain points a frictional and/or positive locking connection may be provided between the support sheath 10 and the air hose 4, for example, by means of a clamping connection or a rivet connection, for example, via a pop rivet penetrating the support sheath 10 and the air hose 4.

[0034] In FIG. 3, the hose arrangement 100 with the web 12 as support sheath 10 is shown by dotted lines in a state in which no pressurized air is applied to the air hose 4, whereby the air hose 4, in particular, caused by the water pressure prevailing in the environment U, is pushed flat, whereby the web 12 is able to follow this movement (not shown for greater clarity). According to the representation in FIG. 3 with full lines, pressurized air is applied to an interior 4b of the air hose 4, whereupon the air hose 4 expands and assumes a round shape or an oval shape. The air hose 4 of the hose arrangement 100 with the polymer band 13 as support sheath 10 also acts in a similar manner in the non-pressurized or, respectively, pressurized state.

[0035] To that end, according to FIG. 2 or 5, a perforation 9 is introduced into the wall 4a of the air hose 4 at the upper side along the ridge line, for example, by punching. Such perforation 9 is preferably made from finest slit-shaped or point-type punctures 9a which are designed such that they can open automatically, in the event of certain pressure relations prevailing in the interior 4b, to a certain opening width of between 1 mm and 3 mm. Hereby, in a way, they act as valves so that the air under pressure can be discharged in fine bubbles from the interior 4b via the plurality of punctures 9a into the environment U so as to create a bubble curtain BC, as indicated merely schematically in FIG. 5. When the pressurized air is switched off or, respectively, in the non-pressurized state the punctures 9a of the perforation 9 close automatically thereby preventing surrounding water from entering, and the environmental water pressure pushes the air hose 4 flat again (see FIG. 3 (dotted line).

[0036] Hereby, the punctures 9a or the perforation 9 are or, respectively, is introduced into the wall 4a in a first circumferential area B1 (see FIG. 4) arranged at the upper side in the area of the ridge line, while the wall 4a remains unperforated in a second circumferential area B2. In the first circumferential area B1 the punctures 9a are distributed evenly in the wall 4a along the longitudinal direction X, whereby end regions 4c (see FIG. 5) of the air hose 4 remain unperforated for sealing at the end. Typically, this allows one to twenty finest punctures 9a pro cm.sup.2 to be made in the wall 4a of the air hose 4 so as to form a bubble curtain BC bubbling up evenly in the longitudinal direction X.

[0037] The opening width or, respectively, the size of the individual punctures 9a may also vary in the longitudinal direction X of the air hose 4, for example, to compensate for pressure drops caused by interior friction of the compressed air, for example, due to larger opening widths of the punctures 9a, towards the end of the air hose 4. Thus, the air hose 4 may even be composed of partial areas having differing puncture sizes or, respectively, opening widths. In that case the perforation 9 is will be designed such that the compressed air may still bubble up via the air hose 4 (in the longitudinal direction X) evenly even under varying water pressure levels in the environment U caused by differences in level of the bottom of the sea 3.

[0038] The respective support sheath 10 surrounds the air hose 4 both in the first circumferential area B1 and the second circumferential area B2, whereby, due to the openings 10b (punch-outs or meshes) in the support sheath 10, the above-described discharging of the air bubbles in the first circumferential area B1 will not be significantly affected. To that end, the openings 10b are preferably positioned in the support sheath 10 such that the air hose 4 will be exposed extensively, at least in the first circumferential area B1, and the material bars 10a cover merely smaller areas of the air hose 4 of the perforation 9 respectively, so that the creation of a bubble curtain BC will not be noticeably affected.

[0039] While the punch-outs (openings 10b) in the polymer band 13 of the second embodiment example according to FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are determined accordingly such that they allow air bubbles to be discharged from the punctures 9a or the perforation 9 respectively, the second circumferential area 132 of the air hose 4 remains covered by the polymer band 13. This allows, at the same time, this second circumferential area B2 of the air hose 4 to be protected by the fabric layer reinforced polymer band 13 in order to prevent damage, in particular, during transport of the hose arrangement 100 and/or upon installation at the bottom of the sea 3. Thus, the polymer band 13 has a dual function (affixing the air hose 4 to the ballast receptacle 20 and protecting the air hose 4 against external influences).

[0040] The transition between the support sheath 10 and the ballast receptacle 20 will vary depending on the embodiment. In the first embodiment according to the FIGS. 2 through 5, the two lower ends 14a, 14b of the web 12 designed as support sheath 10 converge in a lower crown area S of the wall 4a and are detachably connected to the ballast receptacle 20 in a connecting area 15 across the entire longitudinal length. In this embodiment, the ballast receptacle 20 is formed by an elastically deformable, plate-shaped element 20a (or band-shaped, respectively, similar to the polymer band 13) made from a rubber material or a similar polymer material, where the plate-shaped element 20a with its edge regions 20b is folded or bent respectively loop-like back onto itself in the longitudinal direction so that a hose shape extending in the longitudinal direction X with a receiving area 8 is created. In this receiving area 8 a ballast element 21 extending in the longitudinal direction X is received, for example a steel cable or a steel rope 21a or a chain, serving as a weight for the hose arrangement 100 across its entire longitudinal length thereby securing it at the bottom of the sea.

[0041] The edge areas 20b of the folded-back element 20a enclose between them the lower ends 14a, 14b of the web 12 in the connecting area 15 essentially across the entire length L of the air hose 4. For mutual detachable attachment a connector means 16 is provided which, in this case, is formed by a screw connection 16a, the screws are inserted through connection holes 18 in the edge areas 20b as well as through the openings 10b or meshes respectively of the web 12. This makes the lower ends 14a, 14b of the web 12 become jammed in-between the edge areas 20b and also prevents the web 12 from being pulled off from the edge areas 20b due to the mesh-type structure of the web 12. Alternatively, a similar connection via pins or rivets or pilot bolts 16c (see FIG. 4) may be provided, where the connecting holes 18, when pilot bolts 16c with sharpened ends at the tip are utilized, in the edge areas 20b may be formed upon introduction of the pilot bolts 16c themselves, thereby simplifying the assembly process. However, instead, a rope-type or a band-type connector means 16b (s. FIG. 5) may be provided for a detachable connection, for example, a cord, a thread or a rope, made of a textile or metallic material, threaded through the connection holes 18 in the edge areas 20b of the plate-shaped element 20a and through the included openings 10b or, respectively, meshes in the web 12, thereby guaranteeing a mutual connection.

[0042] Both in case of a screw connection 16a and a rope-shaped or band-shaped connector means 16b it is possible to detach the connection between the two in a simple manner. This simplifies the assembly and disassembly or, respectively, a replacement of individual components of the hose arrangement 100, for example, in case of a defect of the respective component of the hose arrangement 100.

[0043] In the second embodiment according to the FIGS. 6, 7 and 8, the transition between the support sheath 10 and the ballast receptacle 20 happens in a one-piece design. To that end, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the polymer band 13 is provided with the punched-out openings 10b in the first partial area 13a, the first partial area 13a being bordered by connection holes 18 in an upper first edge area 13b and a middle area 13c (see FIG. 8). A second partial area 13d is bordered by the connection holes 18 in the middle area 13c and by further connection holes 18 in a second edge area 13e. By suitably rolling up or folding over or folding back over itself respectively of the polymer band 13 along its longitudinal axis, it is possible to receive the air hose 4 in a space formed by the first partial area 13a and to receive the ballast element 21 in a receiving area 8 formed by the second partial area 13d. This shape can be maintained in that suitable connector means 16 (screw connection 16a or rope-shaped or band-shaped connector means 16b or rivets or pins) are introduced in the connection holes 18 lying aligned flush in the connecting area 15, where, then, the punched-out openings 10b lie accordingly above the perforation 9 of the air hose 4, as represented in FIGS. 6 and 7. This overall simplifies the making of the hose arrangement 100. When pilot bolts 16c with sharpened ends at the tip are utilized as connector means 16, the connection holes 18 may even be formed directly upon introduction of the pilot bolts 16c themselves.

[0044] In principle, the polymer band 13 may also be designed in two pieces, where, then, a separation into two partial bands happens in the middle area 13c. The two partial bands or, respectively, partial areas 13a, 13d which, then, each comprise connection holes 18 at the edges, will then be joined in the connecting the area 15 by suitable connector means 16 via the connection holes 18, in a manner similar to the first embodiment.

[0045] In all embodiments described here, the hose arrangement 100 may consist of a plurality of air hoses 4 in segments joined via a hose coupling (not shown). Thereby, a hose arrangement 100 can be provided consisting of a plurality of air hoses 4 joined in segments. Hereby, it may be provided for the support sheath 10 to extend across the hose coupling and/or being clamped in jointly with the hose coupling so as to prevent slippage of the air hose 4 in relation to the support sheath 10.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0046] 1 pole [0047] 2 hammering device [0048] 3 bottom of the sea [0049] 4 air hose [0050] 4a wall of the air hose 4 [0051] 4b interior of the air hose 4 [0052] 4c end region of the air hose 4 [0053] 5 supply vessel [0054] 6 winding winch [0055] 7 compressor [0056] 8 receiving area [0057] 9 perforation [0058] 9a puncture [0059] 10 support sheath [0060] 10a material bars [0061] 10b openings [0062] 10c intersecting points [0063] 12 web [0064] 13 polymer band [0065] 13a first partial area [0066] 13b first edge are of the polymer band 13 [0067] 13c middle area of the polymer band 13 [0068] 13d second partial area of the polymer band 13 [0069] 13e second edge area of the polymer band 13 [0070] 14a, 14b lower ends of the web 12 [0071] 15 connecting area [0072] 16 connector means [0073] 16a screw connection [0074] 16b rope-type or band-type connector means [0075] 16c pilot bolt [0076] 18 connection holes [0077] 20 ballast receptacle [0078] 20a panel-shaped element [0079] 20b edge areas of the panel-shaped element 20a [0080] 21 ballast element [0081] 21a steel cable [0082] 100 hose arrangement [0083] B1 first circumferential area of the wall 4a [0084] B2 second circumferential area of the wall 4a [0085] BC bubble curtain [0086] L length of the air hose 4 [0087] lower crown area of the wall 4a [0088] U environment [0089] X longitudinal direction