Submersible fluid storage

摘要

A container for storing fluid which is less dense than water has a chamber 101, 201 which collapses under water pressure and is negatively buoyant so that it sinks even when the chamber is full. Ideally the chamber is in the form of a flexible bladder. The weight may be provided as a concrete plinth 202 attached by flexible lines integral to the chamber; or as a housing surrounding the bladder. The housing may include an aperture covered by a grill so that seawater pressure can act on the bladder. The bladder may fully surround its interior or part of the chamber may be formed by a wall of the housing. A buoyant concave cover 220 may be tethered to the bladder to capture any leaked fluids. Multiple bladders could be connected via a manifold to the surface by a single conduit. The fluid may come from a source below sea level such as an oil well. The bladder may be placed by falling under gravity.