METHOD BY SUBMARINE OPERATIONS AT LARGE SEA DEPTHS

METHODE VISANT DES OPERATIONS SOUS-MARINES A TRES GRANDES PROFONDEURS

English Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A method for submarine operations at large sea
depths, in which a diver bell is used designed and con-
structed to withstand an outer pressure D1, submerging said
bell to a sea depth where an outer pressure D3 exists, which
is considerably larger than D1, increasing the internal
pressure in the diver bell to an increased pressure D2 in
such a way that the difference between the pressure D3 and
D2 constantly is less than the pressure D1 for which the
diver bell is designed, and subjecting the personnel in the
diver bell before sumbersion to a phase of compression.

Claims

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A method for submarine operations at large sea
depths, in which a diver bell is used designed and construc-
ted to withstand an outer pressure D1, submerging said bell
to a sea depth where an outer pressure D3 exists, which is
considerably larger than D1, increasing the internal pres-
sure in the diver bell to an increased pressure D2 in such a
way that the difference between the pressure D3 and D2 cons-
tantly is less than the pressure D1 for which the diver bell
is designed, and subjecting the personnel in the diver bell
before submersion to a phase of compression.

Description

~5~

The invention relates to a method for submarine opera-
tions at great sea depths.

As the extraction of natural occurencies increasingly
are performed at larger sea depths, the requirement for inspec-
tion and the possibility to perform work of different kinds at
those sea depths, also exis-ts. Even if the operation depths for
divers by ~ew technology and new procedures constantly is
lncreased, there will exist need behind this area for the use of
divers bells of different types, even if the possibility for
remote controlled units is steadily expanded.

Diver bells built for such sea depths will be very
expensive for natural reasons, as to the design very complicated
and correspondingly voluminous.

By the method according to the invention part of those
disadvantages connected to design and construction of such divers
bells for large sea depths, are avoided.
~0
According to the present invention there is provided a
method for submarine operations at large sea depths, in which a
diver bell is used designed and constructed to withstand an outer
pressure Dl, submerging said bell to a sea depth where an outer
pressure D3 exists, which is considerably larger than Dl, increa-
sing the internal pressure in the diver bell to an increased
pressure D2 in such a way that the difference between the pres-
sure D3 and D2 constantly is less than the pressure Dl for which
the diver bell is designed, and sub~ecting the personnel in the
diver bell before submersion to a phase of compression.

The diver bell designed for a sea depth corresponding
to a pressure Dl may be used at considerably larger sea depths,
corresponding to a pressure D3 if the internal atmosphere of the
diver bell is maintained at a pressure D2 in such a way that the
difference between D3 and D2 constantly is kept less than Dl .

B ~

8~

In this way the possibilities for the use of diver
bells is considerably expanded.

Diving below the depths for which the diver bell is
designed is connected with a need ~or the personnel which is to
be accommodated in the diver bell during submerging, to undergo a
compression in such a way that they can live at the pressure D2.
Thereafter the diver bell may be submerged to the depth corre-
sponding to the pressure D3, inspection work or other work may be
performed, whereafter the diver bell may be raised and the per-
sonnel in the diver bell will have to go through a phase of
decompression.

By the method according to the invention the use of the
diver bell is considerably expanded and in principle this is only
limited by the maximum acceptable compression pressure for the
personnel.




~ - 2 -
.. , ~