초록 ▼

An electrically passive device and method for in-situ acoustic emission, and/or releasing, sampling and/or measuring of a fluid or various material(s) is provided. The device may provide a robust timing mechanism to release, sample and/or perform measurements on a predefined schedule, and, in variou

An electrically passive device and method for in-situ acoustic emission, and/or releasing, sampling and/or measuring of a fluid or various material(s) is provided. The device may provide a robust timing mechanism to release, sample and/or perform measurements on a predefined schedule, and, in various embodiments, emits an acoustic signal sequence(s) that may be used for triangulation of the device position within, for example, a hydrocarbon reservoir or a living body.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for acquiring samples in a body of fluid, the system comprising: a containment unit that is negatively buoyant relative to the body of fluid;a sampling array tethered to the containment unit, the sampling array including a plurality of sampling devices, each sampling device including a s

1. A system for acquiring samples in a body of fluid, the system comprising: a containment unit that is negatively buoyant relative to the body of fluid;a sampling array tethered to the containment unit, the sampling array including a plurality of sampling devices, each sampling device including a sample chamber for storing an acquired sample, the plurality of sampling devices for storing samples of the body of fluid at varying depths; anda release that releasably holds the tethered sampling array in an initial position relative to the containment unit,wherein upon activation, the release allows the sampling array, still tethered to the containment unit at a first end, to ascend in the body of fluid with the sampling devices spaced along the length of the array. 2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sampling array includes a buoyancy device. 3. The system according to claim 1, wherein one or more of the sampling devices is positively buoyant relative to the body of fluid. 4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the release is controlled by an acoustic signal, an electric signal, an optical signal, an electromagnetic signal, or a mechanical signal, or a combination thereof. 5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the containment unit includes a receiver for receiving a control signal selected from the group consisting of an acoustic signal and an optical signal, the release activated as a function of the control signal. 6. The system according to claim 5, wherein if the control signal is not received after a period of time, the release is activated so as to release the sampling array, such that the sampling array, still tethered to the containment unit at the first end, ascends in the body of fluid. 7. The system according to claim 1, further including a surface buoyancy device configured to remain at the surface of the body of fluid, the surface buoyancy device including a transmitter/receiver device configured to receive a deployment signal, and upon receipt of the deployment signal, transmit a control signal to the containment unit to release the sampling array, such that the sampling array, still tethered to the containment unit at the first end, ascends in the body of fluid. 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein upon each sampling device acquiring all their samples, the sampling array is configured to automatically release from its tether with the containment unit. 9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the system further includes an installation/retrieval tether and the containment unit includes a second release for releasably connecting the tether. 10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sampling array includes an accelerometer, a tiltmeter, a gyroscope, relative bearing device, an inclinometer, a Global Positioning System (GPS) or a compass, or any combination thereof, for providing position information of the sampling array relative to the containment unit. 11. The system according to claim 10, further including a memory device for recording the positioning information. 12. The system according to claim 1, wherein the sampling array includes: a Global Positioning System (GPS); anda transmitter for transmitting GPS coordinates. 13. The system according to claim 1, wherein each sampling device includes an electronically passive timing mechanism, each sampling device configured to acquire a sample at a time determined by their associated electronically passive timing mechanism. 14. The system according to claim 13, wherein each sampling device includes a sampling mechanism having: an isolated cavity that is initially inaccessible to an external fluid; anda mechanical structure separating the isolated cavity from the exterior environment, wherein at the end of a timing interval the electronically passive timing mechanism pierces the mechanical structure, bringing the isolated cavity in contact with the body of fluid. 15. The system according to claim 14, wherein each sampling mechanism further includes a trigger mechanism for triggering each timing mechanism, the trigger mechanism including a component selected from a check valve, a solenoid valve, a one-shot valve, a fluidic switch, a MEMS component, a detonator and any combination thereof. 16. The system according to claim 14, wherein each electronically passive timing mechanism is configured to be triggered upon deployment of the system in the body of fluid. 17. The system according to claim 14, wherein the tethered sampling array is held in an initial position relative to the containment unit, and wherein each electronically passive timing mechanism is configured to be triggered upon release of the sampling array from its initial position relative to the containment unit. 18. The system according to claim 14, wherein each electronically passive timing mechanism is configured to be triggered as a function of a control signal provided by the containment unit. 19. The system according to claim 1, further including a monitoring system for recording sample acquisition time of each acquired sample. 20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the monitoring system includes one of a optical sensor, a conductivity sensor, a temperature sensor, a force sensor, a deflection sensor, a chemical sensor, a biological sensor, a pressure sensor and a pressure switch, or a combination thereof. 21. The system according to claim 1, wherein each sample chamber is at least partially filled with a chemical reagent, an absorption medium, a biocide, a biological reagent, or a combination thereof. 22. The system according to claim 1, further including a buoy held in an undeployed position within or proximate the containment unit, the buoy configured upon activation to extend to the surface of the body of fluid via a tether attached to the containment unit, such that the tether can be retrieved on the surface along with the containment unit. 23. A method for acquiring samples in a body of fluid, the method comprising: installing in the body of fluid a containment unit negatively buoyant relative to the body of fluid, a sampling array tethered to the containment unit, the sampling array including a plurality of sampling devices spaced along the length of the array, each sampling device including a sample chamber for storing an acquired sample, the plurality of sampling devices for storing samples of the body of fluid at varying depths. 24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the sampling array includes a buoyancy device. 25. The method according to claim 23, wherein one or more of the sampling devices is positively buoyant relative to the body of fluid. 26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the sampling array is buoyant relative to the body of fluid, and the containment unit includes a release for releasably holding the tethered sampling array in an initial position relative to the containment unit, the method further including controlling the release so as to release the sampling array, such that the sampling array, still tethered to the containment unit at a first end, ascends in the body of fluid. 27. The method according to claim 26, wherein controlling the release includes providing to the release an acoustic signal, an electric signal, an optical signal, an electromagnetic signal, or a mechanical signal, or a combination thereof. 28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the containment unit includes a receiver for receiving a control signal selected from the group consisting of an acoustic signal and an optical signal, and wherein controlling the release is based, at least in part, on receipt of the control signal by the receiver. 29. The method according to claim 28, further including: checking, by the receiver at predefined times, for receipt of the control signal, andif the control signal is not received by the receiver after a predetermined period of time, controlling the release to release the sampling array, such that the sampling array, still tethered to the containment unit at the first end, ascends in the body of fluid. 30. The method according to claim 26, further comprising deploying a surface buoyancy device configured to remain at the surface of the body of fluid, the surface buoyancy device including a transmitter/receiver device, the containment unit including a receiver device, the method further including: receiving at the transmitter/receiver device a trigger signal;transmitting, by the transmitter/receiver device, a command signal to the containment unit upon receipt of the trigger signal; andreceiving, by the receiver device, the command signal, whereupon the release is controlled to release the sampling array, such that the sampling array, still tethered to the containment unit at the first end, ascends in the body of fluid. 31. The method according to claim 23, further including, upon each sampling device acquiring all their samples, releasing the sampling array from its tether with the containment unit, such that the sampling array ascends to the surface. 32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the sampling array includes a Global Positioning System (GPS) and a transmitter, the method further including: transmitting the GPS coordinates via the transmitter. 33. The method according to claim 23, further including determining position information of the sampling array relative to the containment unit. 34. The method according to claim 33, wherein determining position information of the sampling array relative to the containment unit includes using an accelerometer, a tiltmeter, a gyroscope, relative bearing device, an inclinometer, a Global Positioning System (GPS), or a compass, or any combination thereof, so as to provide position information of each sampling device of the sampling array relative to the containment unit. 35. The method according to claim 33, further comprising storing the position information on a memory device. 36. The method according to claim 23, wherein each sampling device includes an electronically passive timing mechanism, the method further including acquiring, by each sampling device, a sample at a time determined, at least in part, by their associated electronically passive timing mechanism. 37. The method according to claim 36, wherein each sampling device includes a sampling mechanism having: an isolated cavity that is initially inaccessible to an external fluid; anda mechanical structure separating the isolated cavity from the exterior environment,the method further comprising, at the end of a timing interval determined by the electronically passive timing mechanism, piercing the mechanical structure, bringing the isolated cavity in contact with the body of fluid. 38. The method according to claim 37, further including triggering each electronically passive timing mechanism so as to start the timing interval. 39. The method according to claim 38, wherein each electronically passive timing mechanism is configured to be triggered upon deployment of the system in the body of fluid. 40. The method according to claim 38, wherein the tethered sampling array is held in an initial position relative to the containment unit, wherein each electronically passive timing mechanism is configured to be triggered upon release of the sampling array from its initial position relative to the containment unit. 41. The method according to claim 38, wherein each electronically passive timing mechanism is configured to be triggered as a function of a control signal provided by the containment unit. 42. The method according to claim 23, further including: determining sample acquisition time of each acquired sample; andstoring the determined sample acquisition times in a memory device. 43. The method according to claim 42, wherein determining sample acquisition time of each sample includes using one of an optical sensor, a conductivity sensor, a temperature sensor, a force sensor, a deflection sensor, a chemical sensor, a biological sensor, a pressure sensor and a pressure switch, or a combination thereof. 44. The method according to claim 23, wherein each sample chamber is at least partially filled with a chemical reagent, an absorption medium, a biocide, a biological reagent, or a combination thereof. 45. The method according to claim 23, further including: holding a secondary buoyancy device in an undeployed position within or proximate the containment unit;releasing the secondary buoyancy device via a tether attached to the containment unit so that it reaches the surface of the body of fluid; andretrieving the tether along with the undeployed containment unit. 46. The method according to claim 23, wherein installing the containment unit includes: positioning the containment unit so that it rest at a predetermined position on the bottom floor of the body of fluid. 47. The method according to claim 46, wherein positioning the containment unit includes using one of a surface vessel or a remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV), or a combination thereof. 48. The method according to claim 46, wherein positioning the containment unit includes using a GPS system. 49. A system for acquiring samples in a body of fluid, the system comprising: a containment unit that is negatively buoyant relative to the body of fluid;a sampling array tethered to the containment unit, the sampling array including a plurality of sampling devices, each sampling device including a sample chamber for storing an acquired sample, the plurality of sampling devices for storing samples of the body of fluid at varying depths,wherein the sampling array includes an accelerometer, a tiltmeter, a gyroscope, relative bearing device, an inclinometer, a compass, or a GPS system, or any combination thereof, for providing position information of the sampling array relative to the containment unit. 50. The system according to claim 49, further including a memory device for recording the positioning information. 51. A method for acquiring samples in a body of fluid, the method comprising: installing in the body of fluid a containment unit negatively buoyant relative to the body of fluid, a sampling array tethered to the containment unit, the sampling array including a plurality of sampling devices spaced along the length of the array, each sampling device including a sample chamber for storing an acquired sample, the plurality of sampling devices for storing a sample of the body of fluid at varying depths; anddetermining position information of the sampling array relative to the containment unit. 52. The method according to claim 51, wherein determining position information of the sampling array relative to the containment unit includes using an accelerometer, a tiltmeter, a gyroscope, relative bearing device, an inclinometer, a compass, or a GPS system, or any combination thereof, so as to provide position information of each sampling device of the sampling array relative to the containment unit. 53. The method according to claim 51, further comprising storing the position information on a memory device.