1. A seismic streamer cleaning device, comprising:
a housing adapted for mounting onto a seismic streamer, said housing having at least one external vane thereon, the at least one vane arranged to cause longitudinal and rotational movement of the housing about substantially an entire exterior circumference of a seismic streamer as the streamer is towed through the water; and
at least one cleaning element disposed inside the housing and arranged to be cooperatively engageable with an exterior surface of the seismic streamer, the at least one cleaning element arranged in the housing such that the longitudinal and rotational motion of the housing correspondingly longitudinally and rotationally moves the at least one cleaning element.
2. The cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the cleaning element comprises brush bristles.
3. The cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the cleaning element is coupled to the interior of the housing by a resilient material insert.
4. The cleaning device of claim 3 further comprising a plurality of cleaning elements coupled to the interior of the housing by respective inserts, the inserts and cleaning elements covering a limited portion of the circumference of the interior of the housing so as to form a circumferential opening adapted to enable passage over a device on the exterior of the streamer.
5. The cleaning device of claim 4 wherein the circumferential opening is adapted to enable passage over a compass bird.
6. The cleaning device of claim 1 wherein the housing is split longitudinally and comprises at least one hinge to coupled the split housing to enable affixing the device to the seismic streamer while the streamer remains engaged to a towing vessel.
7. A seismic streamer cleaning device, comprising:
means for converting movement of water past a seismic streamer into longitudinal and rotational movement of the device about substantially an entire exterior circumference of the seismic streamer; and
a cleaning element operatively engaged with the means for converting and an exterior surface of the seismic streamer such that the longitudinal and rotational motion is transmitted correspondingly to the cleaning element.
8. The cleaning device of claim 7 wherein the cleaning element comprises brush bristles.
9. The cleaning device of claim 7 wherein the means for converting comprises a housing having at least one vane thereon.
10. A method for cleaning a seismic streamer, comprising:
towing the streamer through a body of water;
converting movement of the water past the streamer into longitudinal and rotational movement of a device about substantially an entire exterior circumference of the streamer; and
using the movement directly to operate a cleaning element cooperatively engaged with an outer surface of the streamer.
11. The method of claim 10 wherein the cleaning element comprises brush bristles.
12. The method of claim 10 further comprising using the rotational motion cooperatively with an insert in the device to orient the device to enable longitudinal passage of the device over a size restriction on an exterior of the streamer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An air supplier (L) comprising:
a compressor (1) with a compressor wheel (1.1) rotatably supported in a housing of the compressor (1) for air supply systems of fuel cells (7) or for exhaust gas turbocharger of internal combustion engines, the compressor (1) being operated by means of an electric motor (6), said compressor (1) including adjacent the compressor wheel (1.1):
a radial diffuser structure (2) and an axially extending annular channel structure (4) of constant cross-section formed by an outer annular compressor housing wall (4.2) and an inner annular guide wall (4.3) arranged radially spaced from the compressor housing wall (4.2) with a diverting fluid guide structure (3) disposed between the radial diffuser structure (2) and the axial annular channel structure (4), the inner annular guide wall (4.3) having an outer contour which is cylinder-shaped and in inner contour which is torus-shaped, the outer contour and the inner contour being disposed radially opposite each other, and a collection chamber (5) arranged axially adjacent the compressor wheel (1.1) and extending radially inwardly from the axial annular channel structure (4), the collection chamber (5) having an inwardly curved wall section (5.2) disposed axially opposite the radial diffuser structure (2), and the inner annular guide wall (4.3) extending toward the curved wall section (5.2) and having an inwardly curved end section (4.4) disposed in spaced relationship from the curved wall section (5.2) so as to form therewith a final annular diffuser structure (4.5) opening radially inwardly into the collection chamber (5).
2. The air supplier (L) according to claim 1, wherein the axial annular channel structure (4) is provided with axial vanes (4.1).
3. The air supplier (L) according to claim 1, wherein the axial annular channel structure (4) is a vane-free structure.
4. The air supplier (L) according to claim 1, wherein the electric motor (6) is provided axially adjacent the compressor (1) for driving the compressor (1) and the compressor has a cylinder-shaped outer housing wall, whose outer diameter is not larger than 120% of the outer diameter of the electric motor (6).
5. The air supplier (L) according to claim 1, wherein the radial diffuser structure (2) has an adjustable flow cross-section.
6. The air supplier (L) according to claim 1, wherein the radial diffuser structure (2) includes an adjustable vane structure (2.1).