US 12,258,947 B2
Ocean thermal energy conversion power plant
Barry R. Cole, Mineral, VA (US); Jonathan M. Ross, Arnold, MD (US); Andrew Rekret, Toronto (CA); Henry Sibenaller, Greensburg, PA (US); William Schulz, Baltimore, MD (US); Russ Krull, Centreville, VA (US); and Laurence Jay Shapiro, Fair Lawn, NJ (US)
Assigned to The Abell Foundation, Inc., Baltimore, MD (US)
Filed by The Abell Foundation, Inc., Baltimore, MD (US)
Filed on Nov. 6, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/502,654.
Application 18/502,654 is a continuation of application No. 17/850,338, filed on Jun. 27, 2022, granted, now 11,859,597.
Application 17/850,338 is a continuation of application No. 17/101,907, filed on Nov. 23, 2020, granted, now 11,371,490, issued on Jun. 28, 2022.
Application 17/101,907 is a continuation of application No. 15/789,293, filed on Oct. 20, 2017, granted, now 10,844,848, issued on Nov. 24, 2020.
Application 15/789,293 is a continuation of application No. 13/011,619, filed on Jan. 21, 2011, granted, now 9,797,386, issued on Oct. 24, 2017.
Application 13/011,619 is a continuation in part of application No. 12/691,655, filed on Jan. 21, 2010, granted, now 9,086,057, issued on Jul. 21, 2015.
Application 13/011,619 is a continuation in part of application No. 12/691,663, filed on Jan. 21, 2010, granted, now 8,899,043, issued on Dec. 2, 2014.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/297,242, filed on Jan. 21, 2010.
Prior Publication US 2024/0318640 A1, Sep. 26, 2024
Int. Cl. F16L 9/22 (2006.01); F01K 13/00 (2006.01); F01K 25/10 (2006.01); F03G 7/05 (2006.01); F16L 1/15 (2006.01); F16L 3/00 (2006.01)
CPC F03G 7/05 (2013.01) [F01K 13/00 (2013.01); F01K 25/10 (2013.01); F16L 1/15 (2013.01); F16L 3/00 (2013.01); F16L 9/22 (2013.01); F01K 25/106 (2013.01); Y02E 10/30 (2013.01); Y10T 29/49826 (2015.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of connecting a submerged vertical pipe to a floating platform comprising:
providing a floating structure having a vertical pipe receiving bay, wherein the vertical pipe receiving bay has a first diameter;
providing a vertical pipe having a top end portion that has a second diameter that is less than the first diameter and a bearing surface;
inserting the top end portion of the vertical pipe into the vertical pipe receiving bay;
moving at least one detent such that the at least one detent has a diameter that is different from the first or second diameters, wherein the diameter of the at least one detent is less than the first diameter and greater than the second diameter; and
contacting the at least one detent with the bearing surface of the pipe to suspend the vertical pipe from the floating structure.