DEVICE FOR COLLECTING AND TEMPORARILY STORING FLUIDS FROM AN UNDERWATER SOURCE

摘要

A device (10) for collecting and temporarily storing fluids (16) escaping from an underwater source (12, 64) and having lower density than surrounding water comprises:
o a collector (18) for being placed over the underwater source for collecting the escaping fluids;
o a riser tube (20) in communication with the collector for transferring the collected fluids together towards the surface; and
o a buoyant buffer reservoir (22) for being maintained submerged under the surface, comprising an open-bottom chamber (30) for storage of the fluids. The riser tube has flow restrictors (58, 58') arranged in its interior for restricting the flow of the fluids. The buffer reservoir has arranged in its chamber a separator vessel (32), into the interior of which the riser tube opens for discharging the fluids. The separator vessel is configured for separating gas from the fluids.