EP3126215B1

EP3126215B1 - Floating structure

Info

Publication number: EP3126215B1
Application number: EP15722730.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kari Hentunen
Original assignee: Piikkio Works Oy
Current assignee: Piikkio Works Oy
Priority date: 2014-04-01
Filing date: 2015-03-30
Publication date: 2018-01-10
Anticipated expiration: 2035-03-30
Also published as: CN106458291A; NO3126215T3; ES2665346T3; CN106458291B; HRP20180472T1; JP2017509540A; KR20160140896A; EP3126215A1; PL3126215T3; WO2015150633A1

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to a floating structure, comprising at least one deck structure, which has a deck level and on which is arranged at least one space unit, said space unit including a wet space, which comprises a floor structure of a given height, the floor structure being provided with a discharge pipe, and said space unit being provided with an external service facility with a bottom, which deck structure is provided with a recess, the area of which corresponds to at least a surface area of the bottom of at least one external service facility, whereby at least the bottom of the external service facility is at a given level below the deck level, according to the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a method for manufacturing a floating structure according to the precharacterizing portion of claim 8.

Prior art

The manufacturing of floating structures, the construction of space units thereon, and the manufacturing of prefabricated space units, and the transport and installation thereof onto floating structures are known from prior art. Space units can be provided with a floor or they can be so-called floorless space units. In the latter case, the deck level of the deck structure of the floating structure provides the space unit floor, which can be covered as necessary.
Outside the boundaries of a space unit is constructed a space for a service facility provided with elements to be connected to interior fixtures and wet space fixtures of the space unit. These elements include for example a part of the floating structure's grey water piping, black water piping, fresh water piping, condensation or drain water piping, cooling water piping and/or fire water piping. Connections to wet spaces are for example outlet and inlet fittings and water pipes associated with sanitary facilities.
Conventionally, space units are arranged on a floating structure in tiers supported on the deck structures, whereby the above mentioned elements are connected to deck structure penetrations present in the service facility. Between the elements and the deck structure penetrations are often fitted flexible joint members. The service facility has its bottom conventionally flush with the deck level. The deck structure penetrations are connected to pipe systems extending between the tiers.
This leads to the situation that, in connection with leakage from pipes, pipe joints and deck structure penetrations, water spills along the deck level of the deck structure, i.e. in practice across both the space unit and areas surrounding the space unit, such as corridors, being flush with the bottom of the deck level. The deck levels or the floors of space units are generally covered with floorings of various types, laminates, carpets, etc., enabling the leaks to spill even over large areas prior to being detected. This, in turn, leads to time consuming and expensive repairs.
In addition, the floor structure of a wet space in a space unit is generally elevated so as to enable effluent water from various points in the wet space to drain due to gravity down towards the service facility's bottom (which, as mentioned above, is also flush with the deck structure) and to deck structure penetrations present at the bottom of the service facility. The discharge pipes are fitted under the floor surface of the floor structure with a given height in the wet space. In other words, the water discharge pipes require a sufficient gradient. Further, the elevated floor structure of a wet space hinders movement to some extent inside the space unit.
Another consequence of such an elevated floor structure of a wet space is an increased height of the space unit in order to provide the space unit and the wet space with a sufficient ceiling height in keeping with industry related regulations and standards. Consequently, the inter deck distance in floating structures must be sufficiently large in order to provide sufficient spacing in a vertical direction between the deck structures for space units and their wet spaces. Increased inter deck distances limit the number of deck structures because of total height restrictions regarding a floating structure. As a typical example can be mentioned for example a cruise vessel generally configured to include as many cabins (space units) as possible, i.e. in practice as many deck structures as possible for supporting the cabins. The height of a cruise vessel, along with other floating structures, has its limitations regarding for example the stability of a floating structure. The number of cabins aboard a cruise vessel makes a difference in terms of the economy of cruise business. The space unit can also be for example a bathroom or other space, which is not in connection with an actual cabin or other accommodation space.
US 4,622,911 discloses a solution where a bathroom is provided with an outside pipe box arranged below the deck level. This solution does not provide any means for neither monitoring nor controlling leakage from the bathroom or its connections.

Summary of the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a floating structure, by means of which the above mentioned problems are eliminated and by means of which the floating structure is provided with a space unit arrangement which is as functional as possible both from the standpoint of the floating structure and from the standpoint of the occupants of the space units. This objective is attained with a floating structure according to claim 1.
The basic idea of the invention is to utilize the actual height of a deck structure so as to enable the management of any leakage from the wet spaces or the reduction of inter deck heights.
This is implemented by arranging the bottom of an external service facility associated with the space unit or the floor structure of a wet space in the space unit and the bottom of an external service facility associated with the space unit at a lower level than the deck level of the deck structure. In the event that just the bottom of the external service facility extends below the deck level of a deck structure, any possible leakage will be limited to the service facility's boundaries, where a leakage point most probably occurs. In an alternative, where also the wet space itself is lowered, all leakage points, even the more rare ones, can be monitored and controlled, and advantageously led lower down in the ship structure. This is realized by providing a lowered surface area formed at least by the bottom of the external service facility with a leakage monitor, by which any leakage occurring in the lowered surface area of the recess formed at least by the bottom of the external service facility is monitored, or with a sewer pipe, to which any leakage occurring in the lowered surface area of the recess formed by at least by the bottom of the external service facility is directed, in other words that the leakage is received by the sewer pipe for further discharge. In the mentioned alternative, the lowered surface area would be formed by the lowered floor structure of the wet space and the bottom of the external service facility.
This solution also enables a reduction in the height of the floor structure of a wet space, since the bottom of an external service facility, which has been lowered below the deck level, provides a sufficient gradient for ensuring the outflow of water from the wet space. In the event that the floor structure of a wet space, preferably in its entirety, also extends to a given level below the deck level, all possible water leaks will be limited to the boundaries of the wet space and the service facility. In addition, if the floor surface of the floor structure of a wet space is flush with the deck level, this arrangement enables also the inter deck distance to be reduced. The threshold height of a wet space with respect to the rest of the floor of a space can be thereby lowered or entirely eliminated as necessary.
The deck structure is preferably provided with at least one recess having its width corresponding to the depth of an external service facility or the depth of a wet space. The recess could thus be a continuous recess having a width corresponding to the depth of the external service facility or a width corresponding to the depth of the wet space extending continuously over the deck structure, e.g. in a transverse or longitudinal direction of the ship. The lowered surface area would in this case be formed by the continuous recess.
The recess is in the form as a trough with walls and a bottom, whereby any leakage advantageously can be contained with the boundaries of the recess.
The above mentioned one recess can also be designed with an area which corresponds to either the surface area of the bottom of an external service facility or the combined surface area of both the floor structure of a wet space and the bottom of an external service facility. The recess size can also preferably be selected so as to correspond to the external service facilities of several adjacent space units or the wet spaces and the service facilities of several adjacent space units.
The recess formed in the deck structure thus forms a trough with walls and a bottom, whereby the bottom forms the lowered surface area. Consequently, any leakage can be contained within the recess area, the area of which can correspond to a bottom of an external service facility, a combined area corresponding to a bottom of an external service facility and a floor structure of a wet space, or a number of these. Further the recess can be a so-called continuous recess, which thus forms a trough along the deck structure having the width of the bottom of the external service facility or the floor structure of the wet space.
In any of these embodiments, the following advantages can be provided either separately or in combination: (i) any leakage can be controlled so that it doesn't spread out of the recess; (ii) any leakage can be monitored with a leakage detector that can be located on the bottom of the recess according to which location provides an optimal control; (iii) any leakage can be directed to a sewer pipe that can be located on the bottom of the recess according to which location provides an optimal control; (iv) any leakage in service facilities or wet spaces can be controlled together even, if they are located far away from each other; and (v) additionally the embodiments allow lessening the inter deck distances or alternatively increasing the free height of a wet space, separately or in combination, in case this is desired.
The external service facilities associated with wet spaces of the space units are preferably adapted to include at least one deck structure penetration. In the event that for example two space units are placed adjacent to each other so as to have their wet spaces, and external service facilities associated therewith, against and next to each other, the external service facilities can be preferably provided with a single common deck structure penetration. This reduces substantially the number of both deck structure penetrations and sewer pipe systems associated therewith.
The space unit can advantageously be for example a cabin, an accommodation space, a public space, or a bathroom.
Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention are given in claims 2-7. The method according to the present invention is given in claims 8-13.

Brief description of the drawings

The present invention will now be described in more detail, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows a floating structure in a schematic view,
Fig. 2 shows deck assemblies in a perspective view,
Figs. 3a and 3b show a first embodiment of the invention,
Figs. 4a and 4b show a variant for the first embodiment of the invention,
Figs. 5a and 5b show a second embodiment of the invention,
Fig. 6 shows a third embodiment of the invention,
Fig. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention,
Fig. 8 shows another variant of the first embodiment of the invention.
Fig. 9 shows a variant of the second embodiment of the invention,
Fig. 10 shows an alternative or complementary embodiment of the invention,
Fig. 11 shows a variant of a detail of Fig. 10, and
Fig. 12 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention.

Description

In Fig. 1, a floating structure is indicated by reference numeral 1. The floating structure can be for example a watercraft such as a ship or a drilling platform or another such structure. The subsequently described embodiments, mostly related to a ship, apply therefore also to floating structures in general.
The floating structure 1 (for example a cruise vessel), which comprises a hull 100, is outfitted with deck structures 2, which include a deck level 21 (Fig. 2) and which accommodate several, at least partially equipped space units 3. The space units can be on-site constructed or prefabricated. In an external service facility 5 constructed outside the boundaries (walls) of the space units 3 are accommodated pipe systems 9, some of which relate to interior furnishings of the space units 3. The pipe systems 9 extend through the external service facilities and between the deck structures arranged in tiers, whereby the pipe systems 9 pass through the deck structures by means of deck structure penetrations 7 (Fig. 2). The service facility 5 is arranged typically outside the walls 4 of a wet space 6 (Fig. 2) of the space unit 3. Typical pipe systems 9 include for example the floating structure's grey water piping, black water piping, fresh water piping, condensation or drain water piping, cooling water piping or fire water piping. Connections of these pipe systems on the one hand with the wet spaces of space units and on the other hand with the deck structure penetrations are susceptible to leaks. In addition, the wet spaces of space units may experience leaks drifting directly by way of a floor structure 61 (Figs. 3a, 4a. 5a) of the wet spaces 6 or a bottom 51 (Figs. 3a, 4a, 5a) of the service facility 5 onto the deck levels 21. The solution of the present invention is intended for eliminating such problems typical for prior art solutions.
The space unit may also be for example a bathroom or another comparable space, such as a public space, which is not connected with an actual cabin or other accommodation space. Usually a space like this is also provided with a service facility.
Fig. 2 shows an example of the deck structures 2 including deck levels 21 of a floating structure. On the deck structures are mounted several space units 3, along with wet spaces 6 therefor. A generally applied configuration of space units is such that the wet spaces 6 of adjacent space units 3 are located against or next to each other. The external service facilities 5 are usually disposed outside the walls 4 of wet spaces in such a way that the service facilities 5, present outside the wet spaces 6, are also against or next to each other. Fig. 2 also shows how deck structure penetrations 7 are disposed in connection with the bottom 51 (figs. 3a, 4a, 5a) of each service facility 5. These will be discussed in more detail hereinafter with reference to Figs. 3a-5b, illustrating various embodiments of the present invention.
The space unit may also be for example a bathroom or another comparable space, such as a public space, which is not connected with an actual cabin or other accommodation space. Usually a space like this is provided with a service facility.
Figs. 3a and 3b illustrate a first embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 3a and 3b illustrate adjacently or oppositely located wet spaces 6 for two neighboring space units, more particularly the floor structures 61 of the wet spaces 6. Both wet spaces 6 are provided with external service facilities 5, which are also arranged side by side as described above. The bottom of each service facility 5 is indicated by reference numeral 51. In this embodiment, the deck structure 2 is formed with a recess 22, which corresponds to a combined surface area of the bottom 51 of both service facilities 5 such that the bottoms of adjacent service facilities extend to a specific level below the deck level 21 of the deck structure 2. In other words, the bottoms of both adjacent service facilities 5 are lowered relative to the deck level 21 of the deck structure 2. A lowered surface area A would thus be formed of both the bottoms of the adjacent service facilities 5.
The floor structure 61 of a wet space 6 is installed on top of the deck level 21 of the deck structure 2. The floor structure 61 usually has a height h1 of about 150 mm. The deck structure 2 usually has a height h2 of about 300-500 mm.
The service facility 5 has its bottom 51 at a given level below the deck level 21 of the deck structure 2, i.e. the bottom 51 is lowered to a given depth s1, for example about 60 mm, below the deck level 21. Water discharge pipes are fitted underneath the floor surface of the elevated floor structure 61 (having a given height) of the wet space. The water discharge pipes are required to have a sufficient gradient for ensuring the outflow of water.
The lowered position of the bottom 51 of the service facility 5 provides a sufficient gradient towards deck structure penetrations 7 present at the bottom of service facility, thus ensuring the discharge of water from the wet space. Thus, the recess 22 present in the deck structure 2 is formed as a trough, which has walls and a bottom, which thus matches a combined surface area of the bottom of the service facilities. Thus, the lower surface area A would be formed in said through. Thereby, any possible leaks can be contained and collected in said trough.
This embodiment has been implemented with two sets of deck structure penetrations 7. The various pipe systems 9 pass through the deck assembly penetrations 7, whereby a water discharge pipe 8 is extended out of the floor structure 61 and is arranged to connect by way of a normal closed pipe arrangement (not shown) to a dedicated sewer pipe (black water piping, grey water piping, etc.). The number of discharge pipes and sewer pipes connected by normal closed piping arrangements can vary.
Thus, according to the present invention the leakage locations in a service facility and the deck structure penetrations will for the most part occur at a level lower than the deck level, i.e. at the bottom 51 of the service facility 5, whereby any leakage can be contained within boundaries of the service facility.
Leakage can be dried or directed to a sewer provided in the service facility. The service facility area can also be outfitted with leakage detector for monitoring any leakage (discussed more in detail below in connection with Figs. 8-10).
The floor structure 61 of a wet space 6 can also provide for steeper gradients as the bottom of the service facility is at a lower level than the deck level.
In this embodiment, the inter deck distance cannot be reduced.
Yet, the lowering of the service facility's bottom below the deck level enables the wet space's floor structure to be also lowered in such a way that a sufficient gradient for conducting water into the service facility can be ensured. Hence, the floor structure lowering can be used as a means of providing a smaller inter deck distance. Even by the lowering of the floor structure of a wet space by as little as about 30 mm the wet space height in itself does not restrict the inter-deck distance. In this case, the height of an inter deck distance is determined by the height of a space unit and the associated transport height required by a space unit when it is installed on the deck structure.
Figs. 4a and 4b illustrate a variant of the first embodiment of the invention. Figs. 4a and 4b illustrate adjacently or oppositely located wet spaces 6 for two neighboring space units, more particularly the floor structures 61 of the wet spaces 6. Both wet spaces 6 are provided with external service facilities 5, which also are arranged side by side as described above. Each service facility 5 has its bottom indicated by reference numeral 51. In this embodiment, the deck structure 2 is formed with a recess 22, which corresponds to a combined surface area of the bottom 51 of both service facilities 5 such that the bottoms of the adjacent service facilities extend to a specific level below the deck level 21 of the deck structure 2. In other words, the bottoms of both adjacent service facilities are lowered relative to the deck level 21 of the deck structure 2. A lowered surface area A would thus be formed of both the bottoms of the adjacent service facilities 5.
The floor structure 61 of a wet space 6 is installed on top of the deck level 21 of the deck structure 2. The floor structure 61 usually has a height h1 of about 150 mm. The deck structure 2 usually has a height h2 of about 300-500 mm. The service facility 5 has its bottom 51 at a certain level below the deck level 21 of the deck structure 2, i.e. the bottom 51 is lowered to a given depth s1, for example about 60 mm, below the deck level 21. Water discharge pipes are fitted underneath the floor surface of the elevated floor structure 61 (having a given height). The water discharge pipes are required to have a sufficient gradient for ensuring the outflow of water.
The lowered position of the bottom 51 of the service facility 5 provides a sufficient gradient towards a common deck structure penetration 7 present at the bottom of the service facility, thus ensuring the discharge of water from the wet space. Thus, the recess 22 present in the deck structure 2 is formed as a trough, which has walls and a bottom, which thus corresponds to a combined bottom of the service facilities. Thus, the lowered surface area A would be formed in said through. Thereby, any possible leakage can be contained and collected in said trough.
This embodiment has been implemented with just one common deck structure penetration 7. The various pipe systems 9 pass through the deck structure penetration 7, whereby a water discharge pipe 8 is extended out of the floor structure 61 and is arranged to connect by way of normal closed piping arrangements (not shown) to a dedicated sewer pipe (black water pipe, grey water pipe, etc.). The number of discharge pipes and sewer pipes connected by normal closed piping arrangements can vary.
The lowered position of the bottom 51 of the service facility 5 enables water from the wet spaces 6 of both adjacently located space units to be directed towards the common deck structure penetration 7. The common deck structure penetration 7 is located further away from each wet space than in a solution that has a designated deck structure penetration for each wet space (the embodiment of Figs. 3a and 3b), but the lowered position of the bottom 51 of the service facility 5 nevertheless enables a sufficient gradient for the discharge pipe 8 extending from each wet space towards the deck structure penetration, despite the deck structure penetration being located further away from each wet space.
First of all, in practice, this provides the advantage that the number of required deck structure penetrations on the ship is smaller than with dedicated deck structure penetrations for each wet space. A more significant benefit lies nevertheless in the fact that the number of a pipe systems 9 (Fig. 1) in the floating structure can be decisively reduced. For example in a cruise ship with thousands of cabins and a plurality of decks, reducing the number of pipe systems makes a substantial difference in terms of reducing installation work and maintenance associated therewith, reducing the weight inflicted thereby, and reducing potential leakage locations.
Also in this embodiment, the potential leakage locations present in the service facility and the deck structure penetration are for the most part at a level lower than the deck level, thus enabling any leakage to be contained within boundaries of the service facility.
Leakage can be dried or directed to a sewer provided in the service facility. The service facility area can also be outfitted with a leakage detector for monitoring any leakage (discussed more in detail below in connection with Figs. 8-10).
As described above, the lowering of the bottom of the service facility below the deck level enables the wet space's floor structure to be also lowered in such a way that a sufficient gradient for conducting water into the service facility can be ensured. Hence, the floor structure lowering can be used as a means of providing a smaller inter deck distance. Even by the lowering of the floor structure of a wet space by as little as about 30 mm the wet space height in itself does not restrict the inter deck distance. In this case, the height of an inter-deck distance is determined by the height of a space unit and the associated transport height required by a space unit when it is installed on the deck structure.
Figs. 5a and 5b illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention. Figs. 5a and 5b illustrate adjacently or oppositely disposed wet spaces 6 for two neighboring space units, more particularly the floor structures 61 of the wet spaces 6. Both wet spaces are provided with external service facilities 5, which also are arranged side by side as described above. The bottom of each service facility 5 is indicated by reference numeral 51.
In this embodiment, the deck structure 2 is formed with a recess 22 which corresponds to both a combined surface area of the floor structures 61 of both wet spaces 6 as well as a combined surface area of the bottom 51 of both service facilities 5, such that the floor structures of adjacent wet spaces and the bottoms of adjacent service facilities extend to a specific level below the deck level 21 of the deck structure 2. In other words, the floor structures of both adjacent wet spaces and the bottoms of both adjacent service facilities 5 are lowered relative to the deck level 21 of the deck structure 2. This means that the floor structure of the wet space and the bottom of the service facility been lowered to a given depth s2 below the deck level 21. Thus, at the recess 22 present in the deck assembly is formed as a trough, which has walls and a bottom, which thereby corresponds to a joint bottom made up by the floor structures of both wet spaces and the bottom of both service facilities. This enables possible leakage to be contained and collected in this trough. A lowered surface area A would thus be formed of both the bottoms of the adjacent service facilities 5 in said trough.
Leakage can be dried or directed to a sewer provided in the service facility. The service facility are can also be outfitted with a leakage detector for monitoring any leakage (discussed more in detail below in connection with Figs. 8-10).
Consequently, the floor structure 61 of a wet space 6 has its floor level flush with the deck level 21 and the floor structure 61 of the wet space 6 has its bottom and the service facility 5 has its bottom at the same given level below the deck level. This ensures that all potential leakage locations of the space unit 3, more specifically those of the wet space 6, are located at a level lower than the deck level 21. Hence, all possible leaks can be entirely contained within the lowered area forming the lowered surface area A.
This embodiment has been implemented with two deck assembly penetrations 7. The various pipe systems 9 pass through the deck structure penetrations 7, whereby the water discharge pipe 8 is extended out of the floor structure 61 of the wet space 6 and is arranged to connect by way of a normal closed pipe arrangement (not shown) to a dedicated sewer pipe (black water, grey water, etc.). This configuration corresponds to that of Figs. 3a and 3b. The number of discharge pipes and sewer pipes connected by normal closed piping arrangements can vary.
In the context of this embodiment, it is also possible to employ just one joint deck structure penetration as described above in reference to the embodiment of Figs. 4a and 4b. This enables the same benefits to be gained also in this embodiment in a similar manner.
The floor structure 61 has a height h1 which is generally about 150 mm and the deck structure has a height h2 which is generally about 300-500 mm. Therefore, even though the floor structure 61 of the wet space 6 and the bottom 51 of the service facility 5 both have been lowered into a recess 22 constructed in the deck structure 2, this does not significantly affect the properties required of a deck structure. The above mentioned depth s2, to which the floor structure of the wet space and the bottom of the service facility are lowered, would be about 150 mm, thereby matching the height h1 of the floor structure1.
In addition, this enables the height of the threshold between the floor structure of the wet space and the rest of the space unit area to be lowered or completely eliminated. In practice, this also entails that the only restricting aspect of an inter deck construction that remains is the height of a space unit and the associated transport height required by the space unit when it is installed on the deck structured.
In reference to the above-described embodiments, the recess 22 constructed in the deck structure 2 has been designed to be equal to the surface area of the bottom 51 of a service facility or equal to the combined surface area of both the floor structure 61 of a wet space 6 and the bottom 51 of a service facility 5. In addition, these examples disclose an arrangement, wherein the space units are arranged in pairs, two beside each other, whereby, of course, the recesses correspond to a combined surface area of the bottoms of two adjacent service facilities or to a combined surface area of both floor structures of two adjacent wet spaces and the bottoms of two adjacent service facilities arranged in connection with and between the wet spaces.
The recess can also be configured so as to extend continuously more or less throughout the length or depth of the deck structure, i.e. in a longitudinal direction or transverse direction of the deck structure of the ship, depending on each particular arrangement of space units on the deck structure. This will be discussed below with reference to Figs. 6 and 7.
Fig. 6 shows a third embodiment of the invention, wherein the deck structure 2 has been formed with a continuous recess 221 which, including the above described walls and bottom of the recess, makes up a so-called combined leakage trough, which extends continuously along the deck structure 2. The wet spaces 6 and service facilities 5 of two adjacent space units 3 are disposed in a face to face manner between the space units. The external service facility 5 has a specific depth, which is indicated by reference numeral s3. Thus, the lowered surface area A would be formed in said trough.
The continuous recess 221 constructed in the deck structure 2 has a width L1 which corresponds to the depth s3 of the service facility 5. If, for example, the space unit is a so-called floorless space unit, the continuous recess 221 is left open alongside the wet spaces 6. The resulting open locations can be covered with a bridge member 23, for example with a piece of plate, which thereby replaces the part of a deck level 21 left out of the deck structure 2, which for its part would constitute a portion of the floor of a space unit 3. In this example there is one bridge member 23. The number of these can be selected as necessary (in the embodiment of Fig. 7, for example, the number of bridge members is two). This arrangement can be applied for example in connection with the embodiments of Figs. 3a-4b.
As discussed above in connection with Figs. 3a-5b, leakage can be dried or directed to a sewer arranged in the service facility or at any desired location of the continuous recess 221, forming said lowered surface area A. The service facility area or the continuous recess 221, forming said lowered surface area A, can also preferably be outfitted with a leakage detector for monitoring any leakage (discussed more in detail below in connection with Figs. 8-10).
Fig. 7 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention, wherein the deck structure 2 has been formed with a continuous recess 222, which including the above described walls and bottom of the recess, makes up a so-called combined leakage trough which extends continuously along the deck structure 2. The wet spaces 6 and external service facilities 5 of two adjacent space units 3 are disposed in a face to face manner between the space units. The wet space 6 has a specific depth, which is indicate by reference numeral s4. The depth s3 of the service facility is less than the depth s4 of the wet space. Thus, the lowered surface area A would be formed in said trough.
The continuous recess 222 constructed in the deck structure 2 has a width L2 which corresponds to the depth s4 of the wet space 6. If, for example, the space unit is a so-called floorless space unit, the continuous recess 222 is left open alongside the wet spaces 6. The resulting open locations can be covered with a bridge member 23, for example with a plate, which thereby replaces the part of a deck level 21 left out of the deck structure 2, which for its part would constitute a portion the floor of the space unit 3. In this example there are two bridge members 23 arranged side-by side. The number of these can be selected as necessary (in the embodiment of Fig. 6, for example, the number of bridge members is one). This arrangement can be applied for example in connection with the embodiments of Figs. 5a-5b.
As discussed above in connection with Figs. 3a-5b, leakage can be dried or directed to a sewer by means of a sewer pipe arranged in the service facility or at desired locations of the continuous recess 222, forming the lowered surface area A. The service facility area or any desired location of the continuous recess 222 can also preferably be outfitted with a leakage detector for monitoring leakage (discussed more in detail below in connection with Figs. 8-10).
The embodiments of Figs. 6 and 7 are shown to include two sets of deck structure penetrations 7. Clearly, a common deck structure penetration, as discussed in connection with Figs. 4a and 4b, would be sufficient as well.
In the following, referring to Figs. 8-10, the monitoring of leakage to the service facility and the directing of leakage to a sewer, as mentioned above in connection with Figs. 3a-7, will be discussed more in detail.
Fig. 8 illustrates another variant of the first embodiment as shown in Figs. 3a and 3b, which also is applicable to the embodiment discussed in connection with Figs. 4a and 4b.
Any leakage that occurs from the pipe systems 9 (Fig. 1) passing by way of the deck structure penetrations 7 or from the connections of these pipe systems with the wet spaces 6 of the space units 3, or generated from elsewhere in the wet spaces 6, is as discussed above directed to and collected at the area of the bottom 51 of the external service facility 5 as the bottom is lowered to a level below the deck level 21. In order to monitor any such leakage, the bottom 51 of the service facility, forming a lowered surface area A, is provided with a leakage detector 10. The leakage detector 10 can be further connected to a surveillance system in order to alert when any leakage occurs, so that measures can be taken to up the leakage before it results in any damage.
Fig. 9 illustrates a variant of the second embodiment as disclosed in connection with Figs. 5a and 5b. The only difference compared to Fig. 8 is that in this variant both the floor structure of the wet space as well as the bottom of the service facility are arranged at a level lower than the deck level 21.
Fig. 10 discloses a complementary embodiment to monitor or control any occurring leakage and can be applied directly to the embodiments discussed in connection with Figs. 3a-5b.
This embodiment may first of all advantageously include an optional leakage detector 10 as disclosed above in connection with Figs. 8 and 9. For the removal of leakage, i.e. water from the area of the bottom 51 of the external service facility 5, there is provided a sewer in the form of a sewer pipe 11, which is connected to the bottom 51 of the service facility 5 at one deck structure 2. The bottom 51, forming a lowered surface area A, is provided with an opening 52, which is directly connected to the sewer pipe 11, which extends downwards to the next lower deck structure 2, ending just above the level of the bottom 51 of the service facility 5 at the next lower deck structure 2. This arrangement can be repeated between the various deck structures 2 throughout the tiers of deck structures.
Any leakage that occurs from the pipe systems 9 (Fig. 1) passing by way of the deck structure penetrations 7 or from the connections of these pipe systems with the wet spaces 6 of the space units 3, or generated from elsewhere in the wet spaces 6, is as discussed above directed to and collected in the area of the bottom 51 of the service facility 5 as the bottom is lowered to a level below the deck level 21. Any such leakage is arranged to flow into the sewer pipe 11 through the its opening at the level of the bottom 5 of the service facility 5 and further to the next lower deck level, and finally downwards in the ship structure where it can be collected and disposed of. Thus, in along the tiers of the deck structures 2, a series of sewer pipes 11 may be provided for receiving any leakage collected in the recesses.
To any other extent than described in this connection, everything that is disclosed in connection with Figs. 1-5b are valid for these embodiments as well.
Fig. 11 illustrates a modification of the arrangement of the sewer pipe 11 as discussed in connection with Fig. 10. This modification provides a sewer pipe 12 as follows. The bottom 51 of the external service facility is provided with an opening 52 for receiving any leakage from the recess, which leads into a trap 13 surrounding the sewer pipe 12 which passes through the tiers of deck structures 2, thus forming a continuous sewer pipe, different from the separate deck by deck arrangement as discussed in connection with Fig. 10. The leakage, or water, flows from the bottom area of the service facility 5 into the opening 52 at the bottom 51 of the service facility 5, which bottom forms a lowered surface area A, and further into the trap 13, which is in flow connection with the sewer pipe 12 passing through the deck structures 2 and the correspondingly arranged traps 13 at the respective deck structures. The water flows into the trap 13 and further downwards through the sewer pipe 12. The trap construction is not discussed in detail in this connection since it is considered to be known as such be a person skilled in the art. The advantage of the trap 13 is that it prevents any odors from escaping from the sewer pipe 12 into the surroundings, more exactly firstly to the service facility 5 and from there into the ship areas.
Fig. 12 discloses a fifth embodiment which largely corresponds to the embodiment of Fig. 6 discussed above. In this embodiment, however, the continuous trough 221 is provided with both a leakage monitor 10 and a sewer pipe 11, as described in connection with Fig. 10, or as also indicated in Fig. 12, alternatively with a sewer pipe 12 described in connection with Fig. 11. The leakage monitor and the sewer pipes are thus arranged in the lowered surface area A. Such a combined leakage management can of course be provided for any of the embodiments discussed above.
Fig. 12 also shows how the discharge pipe 8 is arranged to connect by way of a normal closed pipe arrangement to the pipe system 9, i.e. a dedicated sewer pipe as discussed above.
In connection with the embodiments of Figs. 3a-12, the space unit has been described as being primarily a cabin. The space unit can, for example, be also a bathroom or another space, such as a public space, which is not connected with the actual cabin or to any other accommodation space. Even this type of space is usually provided with a service facility. Hence, the bathroom in itself may constitute a wet space.
The arrangement of the leakage detector 10 and the sewer pipe 11 or the sewer pipe 12 can be applied in a corresponding manner to the embodiments discussed in connection with Figs. 6 and 7.
The description and the drawings related thereto are merely intended for clarifying the basic idea of the invention. The details according to the invention, such as for example the number of space units, the number and locations of wet spaces and service facilities, the size and shape of a recess or recesses arranged in a deck structure, the number and locations of deck structure penetrations, etc. may vary within the scope of the ensuing claims.

Claims

A floating structure, comprising at least one deck structure (2), which has a deck level (21) and on which is arranged at least one space unit (3), said space unit including a wet space (6), which comprises a floor structure (61) of a given height, the floor structure (61) being provided with a discharge pipe (8), and said space unit (3) being provided with an external service facility (5) with a bottom (51), which deck structure (2) is provided with a recess (22; 221; 222), the area of which corresponds to at least a surface area of the bottom (51) of the external service facility (5), whereby at least the bottom (51) of the external service facility (5) is at a given level below the deck level (21), characterized in that a lowered surface area (A) provided at least by the bottom (51) of the external service facility (5) is provided with a leakage detector (10) for monitoring any leakage occurring in the recess or with a sewer pipe (11; 12) for receiving any leakage occurring in the recess.
A floating structure according to claim 1, characterized in that an opening (52) is provided for the sewer pipe (11; 12) at the lowered surface area (A) provided by at least the bottom (51) of the external service facility (5).
A floating structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the recess (22; 221; 222) is in the form of a trough with walls and a bottom.
A floating structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the recess (22; 221; 222) provided in the deck assembly (2) has an area which corresponds at least to a surface area of the floor structure (61) of the wet space (6) and the surface area of the bottom (51) of the external service facility (5), and in that the floor structure (61) of the wet space (6) and the bottom (51) of the external service facility (5) are at a given level below the deck level (21).
A floating structure according to claim 1, 3 or 4, characterized in that the recess (22; 221; 222) arranged in the deck structure (2) has a width (L1; L2) corresponding to a depth (s3) of the external service facility (5) or a depth (s4) of the wet space (6).
A floating structure according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two space units (3) are located opposite or adjacent to each other on the deck structure (2), that the wet spaces (6) and the external service facilities (5) of the space units (3) are located opposite or adjacent to each other, and in that the external service facilities (5) of the space units (3) are provided with at least one deck structure penetration (7).
A floating structure according to claim 1, characterized in that the space unit (3) is for example a cabin, an accommodation space, a public space, or a bathroom.
A method for constructing a floating structure, in which method the floating structure (1) is provided with at least one deck structure (2), at least one space unit (3) is provided with a wet space (6) and an external service facility (5) and is installed at a given location on the deck structure (2), whereby the deck structure (2) is provided with a deck level (21), the wet space (6) is provided with a floor structure (61) with a discharge pipe (8), and the external service facility (5) is provided with a bottom (51), in which method prior to the space unit (3) is installed on the deck structure (2), at least one recess (22; 221; 222), with an area corresponding to at least a surface area of the bottom (51) of the external the service facility (5), is formed at a given location in the deck structure (2), whereby at least the bottom (51) of the external service facility (5) is arranged at a level below the deck level (21), characterized in that any leakage occurring at a lowered surface area (A) provided at least by the bottom (5) of the external service facility (51) is monitored by way of a leakage detector (10) or is directed to a sewer pipe (11 ;12).
A method according to claim 8, characterized in that an opening (52) for the sewer pipe (11; 12) is formed in the lowered surface area (A) provided at least by the bottom (51) of the external service facility (5).
A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the recess (22; 221; 222) is formed as a trough with walls and a bottom.
A method according to claim 8, characterized in that the recess (22; 221; 222) formed in the deck structure assembly (2) is provided with an area corresponding to at least a surface area of the floor structure (61) of the wet space (6) and the surface area of the bottom (51) of the external service facility (5), and in that the floor structure (61) of the wet space (6) and the bottom (51) of the external service facility (5) are arranged at a given level below the deck level (21).
A method according to claim 8, 10 or 11, characterized in that the recess (22; 221; 222) is formed with a width (L1; L2) which corresponds to a depth (s3) of the external service facility or a depth (s4) of the wet space (6).
A method according to claim 8, characterized in that at least two space units (3) are installed side by side in such a way that the wet spaces (6) of space units (3) and the external service facilities (5) associated therewith are arranged opposite or adjacent to each other, and that the external service facilities (5) of the space units (3) are provided with at least one deck structure penetration (7).