DE4413781A1 - Determining list of floating and/or immersed devices - Google Patents

Abstract

At least two level measurement units (20.1-20.4) arranged at a distance apart in a communicating liquid system measure the liquid level. Their measurement values are pref. fed to an evaluation device (40) and the instantaneous list or inclination position computed from the difference between the measurement values, pref. by the evaluation device.Each level measurement can be conducted by four measurement units, whereby the imaginary connecting lines between opposing measurement units are mutually perpendicular, or the units are arranged at the corners of a rectangle.

Description

TECHNICAL AREA

The present invention relates to a method for determining Heeling and / or listing of floating and / or diving facilities such as watercraft, drilling seln or the like.

The determination of the position of a ship in the water is in vie len situations of high interest. So it is with container Ships carrying several hundred tons per day at sea Consume fuel, necessary to take ballast to the ship from a heeling position to a horizontal position bring in order to prevent the containers from slipping counteract. It also affects the fuel overall consume cheap if the ship is in a ho rizontal location drives. It is also important for ferries knowing the current heel of the ship, in particular during the loading process in order to create a heeling, for example by means of ballast to be able to resemble.

STATE OF THE ART

It is known to heel ships by means of the outside to measure the attached pressure load cells. Here the stati pressure measured. There is always a membrane available to which the water pressure acts. Such mem Branches settle with algae, mussels or Such animals too, so that their function is impaired becomes. Since these pressure transducers are arranged on the outside, pitting occurs relatively often. Overall, it is tight  represent that such pressure cells as not age-resistant are to be viewed dig and are therefore replaced relatively often or have to be serviced.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has the technical problem or based on the task, based on the state of the art Technique, an improved method for determining the cranes position and / or lateral position of floating and / or diving To specify facilities that are easy to carry out can, delivers exact values, tests the application reliably ger measuring devices enables and reliable measurement Guaranteed without any problems over a long period of operation.

The present invention also has the object reasons to specify a method in which devices are used be, their installation without complex assembly measures can be made sluggish.

The inventive method is characterized by the features of the given 1. Advantageous refinements and further education is given by the subclaims.

The method according to the invention is accordingly characterized records that at least two spaced apart in one communicating liquid system arranged fill level Units measure the level and / or the measured values are preferably fed to an evaluation device and on due to the difference in the measured values, the current heeling is calculated, preferably by the evaluation device.

According to the well-known, reliable working Level measuring devices used to be the heel voices. Here the physical effect is used, that the communicating fluid system or its upper  surface behaves like a spirit level, that is, it is always horizontal without swell. A change in this Surface is measured by the spaced filling level measured, whereupon the respective cranes from these data tion and / or list are measured or calculated can.

A preferred and particularly reliable method net is characterized in that the measurement of the respective fill level in the liquid system by means of four levels units of measurement, the imaginary connecting lines opposite level measuring units preferably quite stand at an angle to one another or the level measuring units in the corner points of a rectangle, seen in a top view, are arranged.

Measurement units of the Of the applicant, which is labeled "KSR-High- Tech sensors type FFG "are on the market. These sensors measure contactlessly, magnetostrictively and continuously Liquid level in containers with a very high level Measuring accuracy. Level measuring units are preferred set which has a measuring accuracy of 0.01 mm of the level have height.

In a preferred embodiment of the Ver driving becomes a communicating fluid system Liquid tank, especially a drinking water tank, ballast tank or fuel tank used. For example, if Oil rigs or ships in an existing long tank two level measuring units several meters apart far away in the longitudinal direction of the ship, then these two units measure the same level, when the ship is horizontal and has no heel. Becomes the ship z. B. loaded buggy, then the level height slightly higher at the front unit and at the  rear unit slightly lower. From this you can then easily calculate the heel. At the level sensors used can measure digital fill level Indicators or bypass level indicators connected his. This also applies to the Wei shown below training.

A particularly preferred embodiment of the invention The process is characterized in that as communicate of the liquid system as a communicating tube formed pipe system is used. The level measuring unit ten are as far apart as possible within this pipe system arranged the other way to make the heel as precise as possible to measure while the ship is moving.

In the mentioned variants, holes are in the Longstrip not required and the installation of the fill level measuring units can be easily carried out afterwards become.

Another embodiment of the method according to the invention is characterized in that as a communicating liquid a system in which the filling level measurement units preferably over the bottom of the swim with which the floating device is reversed communicating water. With this procedure can also be easily next to the heel and / or inclined position the respective draft of the floating device from the Measured values of the level units can be determined.

Further embodiments and advantages of the invention result themselves by the features listed in the claims as well as by the exemplary embodiment specified below. The features of the claims can be in any way be combined as far as they are not obvious  mutually exclusive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention and an advantageous embodiment thereof ben is shown below with reference to the drawing ten example described and explained in more detail. That of the Be Characteristics and the features to be extracted from the drawing individually or in any combination be applied according to the invention. Show it:

Fig. 1 a schematic detailed longitudinal and cross-section through a ship with schematically illustrated Auswerteinrich tung Füllstandsmeßeinheiten of four, which are arranged in a communicating with the surrounding water Flüssigkeitssy stem,

Fig. 2 shows a schematic detail longitudinal section through a ship with in a liquid communication system designed as a communicating tube with level measuring units and

Fig. 3 shows a schematic detail longitudinal section through a ship with level measuring units arranged in a tank.

WAYS OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

In Fig. 1, in the schematic representation, a ship 10 is shown with a ship's bottom 12 , which has a cargo space 14 divided by bulkhead 21 . The bow of the ship 10 and the stern of the ship are designated 16 and 18 , respectively. On the bow side, seen in the longitudinal direction, a fill level measuring unit 20.1 is arranged in front of the cargo space 14 and is connected via a pipe 22 to the ship's bottom 12, which pipe 22 can be closed by a valve 24 . A fill level measuring unit 20.2 is also present at the rear, which is connected via a pipe 26 to the ship's floor 12 , a valve 28 being arranged within the pipe 26 . The same applies to the filling level units 20.3 and 20.4 , which are connected to the starboard or port side at the level of the engine room on the port or port side via pipes 30 with valves 32 to the ship's bottom.

A vent connector 34 is connected to the top of all fill level units 20.1 to 20.4 .

Via the pipes 22 , 26 , 30 , the level measuring units 20.1 to 20.4 are communicating with the amount of water 38 surrounding them outside the hull 38 . The measurement signals of the fill level units 20.1 to 20.4 are fed via measurement lines 70 to an evaluation device 40 , which evaluates the transmitted measurement values and calculates and displays the current heel or face. If the ship sinks on the bow 16 side , for example, the fill level in the fill level measurement unit 20.1 increases more than in the fill level measurement unit 20.2 . From this difference and the distance between the level measuring units 20.1 and 20.2 , the heel can then be determined.

Draft detection units 42 are arranged between the evaluation unit 40 and the fill level measuring units 20 , which display the respective draft within a maximum draft value 42.1 or minimum draft value 42.2 . Since the level measuring units correspond directly to the water surrounding the ship, the currently measured level is directly proportional to the draft of the ship.

In this embodiment, it is necessary that the pipe lines 22 , 26 , 30 are connected directly to the ship's bottom and 12 openings are to be provided in the ship's bottom, to provide correspondingly thick walls.

In the schematic longitudinal section through a ship 50 shown in FIG. 2, spaced in the longitudinal direction of the ship, two level measuring units 60.1 and 60.2 are arranged, which are designed as bypass level indicators . Both level measuring units 60.1 and 60.2 are connected to one another in a communicating manner via a common pipe or a common hose 62 , this pipe being filled with a liquid, preferably water. On the top, the level measuring units 60.1 and 60.2 are coupled to one another by a further pipeline 64 , a vent 66 and a filling line 68 being connected to this pipeline. Both Füllstandsmeßein units 60.1 and 60.2 give their signals via measuring lines 70 to an evaluation device 72 which, based on the determined fill level value of the fill level measuring units 60.1 and 60.2, detects the heeling of the ship 50 continuously and exactly.

In Fig. 3, a ship 80 is shown schematically in longitudinal section, in which in a drinking water or diesel tank 82 two spaced apart in the longitudinal direction existing level measuring units 84.1 and 84.2 are available. These fill level measuring units each determine the fill level in the tank 82 . On the basis of the difference between the measured fill level values, the heeling of the ship 80 can be calculated in an analogous manner, with, as in FIG. 2, the measurement signals from the fill level units 84.1 and 84.2 being fed via lines 70 to an evaluation unit 72 .

Preferably, as shown in Fig. 3, the level measuring units 84 in the area in which they are immersed in the liquid surrounded by a calming tube 86 , so that an associated measuring process is possible even in the case of turbulent liquids. The calming tube 86 surrounds the sliding tube 85 with the float 87 . In its upper region, the calming tube 86 has a ventilation opening. If the ventilation bore 88 is chosen to be correspondingly small, the liquid speed in the calming tube 86 is greatly calmed. A spacer 89 at the other end on the sliding tube 85 prevents the float 87 from touching the inner wall of the calming tube 86 . There are bores in the spacer disk 89 so that the liquid can penetrate into the calming tube.

Fill level measurements are preferred as level measurement units Councils of the applicant are used under the designation "KSR high-tech sensor FFG" are known on the market. The Operation of these devices is based on magnetorestrics tive measuring principle, which is applied as follows.

If an external magnetic field is attached to ferromagnetic substances is changed by aligning their elementals magnets length and volume. This effect is called magnetostrics tion. Usually these changes are too small, to be visible.

The function of the magnetostrictive displacement sensor is based on a runtime measurement. Through a waveguide, the so-called th waveguide, axially leads an insulated copper conductor as Current pulse carrier, the outside of an electronic device is returned.

The waveguide itself is made from a special nickel manufactured manufactured under the influence of an external Magnetic field contracts.

A current pulse through the electri in the waveguide This is how the molecular magnets in the waveguide are directed that an axial magnetic field is created. It hits that Permanent magnetic field of the float, which is the molecular magnet aligned radially to the waveguide axis in the waveguide holds. By superimposing these two magnetic fields triggered a torsion pulse. This spreads in the waves  conductor as a mechanical shaft like a struck one String out on both sides with ultrasonic speed.

To disturb the next torsion pulse by reflection to prevent the part running to the end of the waveguide destroyed the shaft via a damping section. The Ge The torsion shaft is retracted mechanically into one Transverse pulse implemented and picked up by coils.

Because the speed of propagation of the pulse in the waveguide ter is known and constant, is the time between the Release of the torsion pulse and the induction of the elec tric signal passes, a measure of the distance of the Float to the pickup coil.

Since the time measurement can be repeated at any time and always with same position of the position encoder the same value indicates, the magnetostrictive system is an absolute measure the length measuring sensor. Even after a power cut or jumps can make an accurate measurement without prior recalibration be performed. By a quick sequence of Stromim pulse is achieved that the swimmer moves as fast as you want can move and still at the output of the evaluation electronics there is a continuous signal.

Claims (9)

1. A method for determining the heel and / or Schlagsei te of floating and / or diving devices such as watercraft, oil rigs or the like, characterized in that

• - At least two spaced apart in a communicating liquid system level measuring units measure the level and / preferably
• - The measured values are fed to an evaluation device and
• - Based on the difference in the measured values, the current heeling / inclination is calculated, preferably by the evaluation device.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the measurement of the respective level by means of four Level measuring units takes place, the imaginary Ver connecting lines of opposite level measuring units preferably at right angles to each other or the filling level measuring units in the corner points of a rectangle are ordered. 3. The method according to claim 1 and / or 2, characterized in that as a communicating fluid system, a fluid tank, especially drinking water tank, ballast tank or Fuel tank, is used. 4. The method according to claim 1 and / or 2, characterized in that as communicating fluid system as communicating decorative tube formed pipe system is used.   5. The method according to claim 1 and / or 2, characterized in that as a communicating fluid system is set, in which the level measuring units are preferred over the bottom with which the floating device surrounding water are in communication. 6. The method according to one or more of the preceding An claims, characterized in that Level measuring units are used, their accuracy speed when measuring the fill level from 0.1 mm to 0.01 mm, preferably 0.01 mm. 7. The method according to one or more of the preceding An claims, characterized in that Level measuring units with digital level indicators ten and / or bypass level indicators are used become. 8. The method according to one or more of the preceding An claims, characterized in that Level measuring units are used, which after magnetostrictive measuring principle work. 9. Floating and / or diving device, such as water vehicles, oil rigs or the like, marked by at least two level measuring units and an evaluation device, the heel according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 8 measure or calculated becomes.