US3849993A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for constructing sea ice islands in cold regions
Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
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Filing: 1973-07-23
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Granted: 1974-11-26
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Expires: 1993-07-23
Abstract
Abstract A method for constructing sea ice islands in cold regions in which a water impervious membrane is placed on the surface of a floating sheet of natural ice and sea water is thereafter deposited on the membrane and allowed to freeze to form an ice body having a mass such that its draft is greater than the water depth, whereby the ice island is permanently grounded. Brine is drained from the ice body through wells penetrating the upper portion of the ice body above the membrane. Alternatively, sea water can be frozen directly on the surface of the natural ice until the ice sheet is thickened sufficiently that the bottom of the ice is just above the marine floor. The ice body is cured at ambient conditions to allow brine to drain from the bottom of the body. Next, a water impervious membrane is applied to the surface of the ice body and additional sea water frozen thereon to thicken the ice body sufficiently to ground it on the marine floor and to raise the surface of the body above the surrounding floating ice. Brine is drained from the upper portion of the ice body above the impermeable membrane through wells penetrating this portion of the body.
Inventors
- 👤 J Robinson
- 👤 Durning
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 12:28
CPC Classifications
E; E02; E02B; E02B17/00; E02B17/02; E02B17/028
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for constructing an artificial sea ice island in a marine body covered by a floating sheet of ice, which comprises: placing a water impervious membrane on the surface of said floating sheet of ice; thereafter placing sea water on said sheet of ice covered by said water impervious membrane under ambient conditions such that the water is frozen to form an ice body having a mass sufficiently large that the draft of the ice body exceeds the depth of the marine body whereby the ice island is permanently grounded and the surface of the island raised above that of the surrounding floating ice; establishing a plurality of wells in the ice body above said impervious membrane for the drainage of brine from the ice body; and removing accumulated brine from said wells.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
134 words
A method for constructing an artificial sea ice island in a marine body covered by a floating sheet of ice, which comprises: placing a water impervious membrane on the surface of said floating sheet of ice; thereafter placing sea water on said sheet of ice covered by said water impervious membrane under ambient conditions such that the water is frozen to form an ice body having a mass sufficiently large that the draft of the ice body exceeds the depth of the marine body whereby the ice island is permanently grounded and the surface of the island raised above that of the surrounding floating ice; establishing a plurality of wells in the ice body above said impervious membrane for the drainage of brine from the ice body; and removing accumulated brine from said wells.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said sea water is intermittently placed on the surface of said sheet of ice covered by said water impervious membrane and allowed to freeze between placements.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method defined in claim 2 wherein said sea water is intermittently placed on said ice to a depth of about 2 to 6 inches at each placement.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said sea water placed on said sheet of ice covered by said water impervious membrane freely floods said surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said marine body has a depth of less than about 50 feet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein the elevation of said ice island is at least about 3 feet above its maximum free-floating elevation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
79 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein prior to placement of said water impervious membrane, sea water is placed on the surface of said floating sheet of ice and frozen to form an ice body having a mass sufficiently large that the bottom of the ice body is just above the marine floor, and including the step of curing said ice under ambient conditions for a period of time sufficient to allow brine to drain from the ice body.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
182 words
A method for constructing an artificial sea ice island in a marine body covered by a floating sheet of ice, which comprises: placing a water impervious membrane on the surface of said floating sheet of ice; placing sea water on the surface of said floating sheet of ice covered by said water impervious membrane to freely flood said surface to a maximum depth of about 2 to 6 inches under ambient conditions below the freezing point of said sea water; allowing the sea water placed on said ice to freeze; repeating the alternate flooding and fReezing steps to form an ice body having a mass sufficiently large that the draft of the ice body exceeds the depth of the marine body whereby the ice body is permanently grounded and the elevation of the ice body is at least about 3 feet above its maximum free-floating elevation; establishing a plurality of wells in the ice body above said impervious membrane spaced about 20 to 50 feet apart for the drainage of brine from the ice body; and removing accumulated brine from said wells.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
182 words
A method for constructing an artificial sea ice island in a marine body covered by a floating sheet of ice, which comprises: placing a water impervious membrane on the surface of said floating sheet of ice; placing sea water on the surface of said floating sheet of ice covered by said water impervious membrane to freely flood said surface to a maximum depth of about 2 to 6 inches under ambient conditions below the freezing point of said sea water; allowing the sea water placed on said ice to freeze; repeating the alternate flooding and fReezing steps to form an ice body having a mass sufficiently large that the draft of the ice body exceeds the depth of the marine body whereby the ice body is permanently grounded and the elevation of the ice body is at least about 3 feet above its maximum free-floating elevation; establishing a plurality of wells in the ice body above said impervious membrane spaced about 20 to 50 feet apart for the drainage of brine from the ice body; and removing accumulated brine from said wells.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
79 words
The method defined in claim 8 wherein prior to placement of said water impervious membrane, sea water is placed on the surface of said floating sheet of ice and frozen to form an ice body having a mass sufficiently large that the bottom of the ice body is just above the marine floor, and including the step of curing said ice under ambient conditions for a period of time sufficient to allow brine to drain from the ice body.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
270 words
A method for constructing an artificial sea ice island in a marine body covered by a floating sheet of ice, which comprises: placing sea water on the surface of said floating sheet of ice to freely flood the surface to a maximum depth of about 2 to 6 inches under ambient conditions below the freezing point of water; allowing the sea water placed on said ice to freeze; repeating the alternate flooding and freezing steps to form an ice body having a mass sufficiently large that the bottom of the ice body is just above the marine floor; curing the ice under ambient conditions for a period of time sufficient to allow brine to drain from the ice body; placing a water impervious membrane on the surface of the ice body; thereafter placing additional sea water on the surface of said ice body covered by said impervious membrane to freely flood said surface to a depth of 2 to 6 inches under ambient conditions below the freezing point of water; allowing the sea water placed on said ice to freeze; repeating the alternate flooding and freezing steps to form an ice body having a mass sufficiently large that the draft of the ice body exceeds the depth of the marine body whereby the ice body is permanently grounded; continuing the alternate flooding and freezing steps until the elevation of the ice body is at least about 3 feet above its maximum free-floating elevation; establishing a plurality of wells in the ice body above said impervious membrane spaced about 20 to 50 feet apart; and removing accumulated brine from said wells.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
270 words
A method for constructing an artificial sea ice island in a marine body covered by a floating sheet of ice, which comprises: placing sea water on the surface of said floating sheet of ice to freely flood the surface to a maximum depth of about 2 to 6 inches under ambient conditions below the freezing point of water; allowing the sea water placed on said ice to freeze; repeating the alternate flooding and freezing steps to form an ice body having a mass sufficiently large that the bottom of the ice body is just above the marine floor; curing the ice under ambient conditions for a period of time sufficient to allow brine to drain from the ice body; placing a water impervious membrane on the surface of the ice body; thereafter placing additional sea water on the surface of said ice body covered by said impervious membrane to freely flood said surface to a depth of 2 to 6 inches under ambient conditions below the freezing point of water; allowing the sea water placed on said ice to freeze; repeating the alternate flooding and freezing steps to form an ice body having a mass sufficiently large that the draft of the ice body exceeds the depth of the marine body whereby the ice body is permanently grounded; continuing the alternate flooding and freezing steps until the elevation of the ice body is at least about 3 feet above its maximum free-floating elevation; establishing a plurality of wells in the ice body above said impervious membrane spaced about 20 to 50 feet apart; and removing accumulated brine from said wells.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3660983A
Cited
US3750412A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-11-25 | 1978-05-27 | 1978-11-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-11-25 | 1982-05-27 | 1982-11-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-11-25 | 1986-05-27 | 1986-11-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |