Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/50—Anchoring arrangements or methods for special vessels, e.g. for floating drilling platforms or dredgers
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/24—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of pipe-lines
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B21/02—Magnetic mooring equipment
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/24—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of pipe-lines
  • B63B27/25—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of pipe-lines for fluidised bulk material
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/30—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for transfer at sea between ships or between ships and off-shore structures
  • B63B27/34—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for transfer at sea between ships or between ships and off-shore structures using pipe-lines
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
  • B63C1/00—Dry-docking of vessels or flying-boats
  • B63C1/02—Floating docks
  • B63C1/06—Arrangements of pumping or filling equipment for raising or lowering docks
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F15—FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS; HYDRAULICS OR PNEUMATICS IN GENERAL
  • F15B—SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F15B11/00—Servomotor systems without provision for follow-up action; Circuits therefor
  • F15B11/16—Servomotor systems without provision for follow-up action; Circuits therefor with two or more servomotors
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F15—FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS; HYDRAULICS OR PNEUMATICS IN GENERAL
  • F15B—SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F15B15/00—Fluid-actuated devices for displacing a member from one position to another; Gearing associated therewith
  • F15B15/08—Characterised by the construction of the motor unit
  • F15B15/14—Characterised by the construction of the motor unit of the straight-cylinder type
  • F15B15/1423—Component parts; Constructional details
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B21/00—Tying-up; Shifting, towing, or pushing equipment; Anchoring
  • B63B2021/003—Mooring or anchoring equipment, not otherwise provided for
  • B63B2021/006—Suction cups, or the like, e.g. for mooring, or for towing or pushing
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B2221/00—Methods and means for joining members or elements
  • B63B2221/20—Joining substantially rigid elements together by means that allow one or more degrees of freedom, e.g. hinges, articulations, pivots, universal joints, telescoping joints, elastic expansion joints, not otherwise provided for in this class
  • B63B2221/22—Joining substantially rigid elements together by means that allow one or more degrees of freedom, e.g. hinges, articulations, pivots, universal joints, telescoping joints, elastic expansion joints, not otherwise provided for in this class by means that allow one or more degrees of angular freedom, e.g. hinges, articulations, pivots, universal joints, not otherwise provided for in this class
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F15—FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS; HYDRAULICS OR PNEUMATICS IN GENERAL
  • F15B—SYSTEMS ACTING BY MEANS OF FLUIDS IN GENERAL; FLUID-PRESSURE ACTUATORS, e.g. SERVOMOTORS; DETAILS OF FLUID-PRESSURE SYSTEMS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F15B2211/00—Circuits for servomotor systems
  • F15B2211/70—Output members, e.g. hydraulic motors or cylinders or control therefor
  • F15B2211/705—Output members, e.g. hydraulic motors or cylinders or control therefor characterised by the type of output members or actuators
  • F15B2211/7051—Linear output members
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
  • F25J1/00—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures
  • F25J1/02—Processes or apparatus for liquefying or solidifying gases or gaseous mixtures requiring the use of refrigeration, e.g. of helium or hydrogen ; Details and kind of the refrigeration system used; Integration with other units or processes; Controlling aspects of the process
  • F25J1/0243—Start-up or control of the process; Details of the apparatus used; Details of the refrigerant compression system used
  • F25J1/0257—Construction and layout of liquefaction equipments, e.g. valves, machines
  • F25J1/0275—Construction and layout of liquefaction equipments, e.g. valves, machines adapted for special use of the liquefaction unit, e.g. portable or transportable devices
  • F25J1/0277—Offshore use, e.g. during shipping
  • F25J1/0278—Unit being stationary, e.g. on floating barge or fixed platform
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F25—REFRIGERATION OR COOLING; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS; MANUFACTURE OR STORAGE OF ICE; LIQUEFACTION SOLIDIFICATION OF GASES
  • F25J—LIQUEFACTION, SOLIDIFICATION OR SEPARATION OF GASES OR GASEOUS OR LIQUEFIED GASEOUS MIXTURES BY PRESSURE AND COLD TREATMENT OR BY BRINGING THEM INTO THE SUPERCRITICAL STATE
  • F25J2290/00—Other details not covered by groups F25J2200/00 - F25J2280/00
  • F25J2290/60—Details about pipelines, i.e. network, for feed or product distribution

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a device for docking at sea two torque boats here called “coupling device”.
• This mooring device makes it possible to maintain laterally spaced at a controlled distance, typically thirty meters, the two boats and to maintain their longitudinal position abutting in particular to perform a transhipment between the two boats.
• ship is understood to mean both a transport vessel and a floating support moored at the bottom of the sea such as a floating production, storage and offloading unit (FPSO).
• FPSO floating production, storage and offloading unit
• FLNG Floating Liquefied Natural Gas
• FSRU Floating Storage and Regasification Unit
• Floating Storage and Regasification Unit Floating Storage and Regasification Unit.
• This type of device is more particularly adapted to allow the unloading of a first vessel or floating support of the type comprising a floating facility for liquefaction or regasification of natural gas ("Floating Liquefied Natural Gas” or "FLNG”) to a second vessel such as LNG Carrier via flexible or rigid pipes.
• a first vessel or floating support of the type comprising a floating facility for liquefaction or regasification of natural gas ("Floating Liquefied Natural Gas" or "FLNG”) to a second vessel such as LNG Carrier via flexible or rigid pipes.
• FLNG Natural Gas
• the difficulty encountered is the limit of the admissible environments during the unloading, in particular the conditions of swell, wind and / or sea current which often make difficult such operations of transhipment between two boats at sea without risk of collisions between the ships.
• the object of the present invention is therefore to increase the safety of unloading operations between two boats by controlling and stabilizing the spacing between the two boats; in particular to make the unloading operations between a floating installation of type FLNG or FSRU and a vessel type LNG Carrier this in order to:
• WO 2014/073973 discloses a system which makes it possible to maintain a spacing between the two boats comprising a coupling device comprising (FIG. 3) a ballast box 2 which is movable from a first floating support (1) to which it is moored by mooring lines 24, to come and press against a second vessel (3).
• the positioning of the box 2 against the second vessel 3 is done by tensioning the mooring lines 24 anchored to the seabed and actuated with the aid of winch 23.
• This system is long to implement and has a lack of flexibility that requires maintaining a spacing important at least 100m between boats for boats from 100 to 300m long.
• the object of the present invention is to provide a simpler and faster mechanical device to implement which makes it possible to maintain the parallel longitudinal position of the two boats edge to edge and to keep them apart laterally at a controlled variable distance from each other. a few tens of meters including 25 to 50m.
• the present invention provides a device for remote coupling of two boats, including a first boat consisting of a first vessel or floating support and a second boat consisting of a second vessel, comprising:
• At least one flotation and docking structure comprising at least one float capable of being ballasted and unballasted to allow the controlled immersion of said buoyancy and docking structure, and at least one fastening element fixed or capable of be removably attached to the hull of a second boat, and
• the device according to the invention is an accessory device or appendix of the first boat which is fixed temporarily to the second boat and does not require auxiliary means of mooring assistance such as tugs, lifting means or hawsers.
• This device is adapted to be placed more particularly on the side of an FLNG and can be hydraulically controlled to be attached to the hull of another boat, typically a LNG carrier, or in a manner that is not limited to two vessels to be transhipped.
• the device according to the present invention makes it possible to control and stabilize the spacing between the two boats at an average distance while allowing:
• the device hooked to the second boat it is able to passively maintain or by adequate hydraulic steering cylinders, spacing the two ships at a constant average distance in sea conditions typically up to heights of significant swell of 4m, this swell coming mainly from the front at 0 ° or quarter at 45 °, without seeking to block the movements of roll, pitch or yaw of the boats.
• Said float is adapted to (a) ensure the floatation of said buoyancy and docking structure and maintain said cylinders out of water before hooking to the second boat and (b) allow increased immersion by partial ballasting of said float during the hooking said fastening elements of said buoyancy structure and docking on the second boat. Thanks to the stroke of the cylinders by sliding, and because of their articulation in rotation with respect to the two boats, the two boats can interact relatively little dynamically between them because the efforts taken by the device are averaged efforts and not impact efforts. Thus, it is possible to keep the two boats together with a limited but variable spacing, for example from 25 to 50m, even when the swell becomes strong - a swell of the order of 4m being typically bearable.
• all of said cylinders in the retracted position and fixed to said buoyancy and docking structure at said second fastening and articulation devices are able to be positioned, preferably vertically or in a position close to the vertical, against the hull of the first boat out of water when said buoyancy and docking structure is not attached to said second boat and said docking float is unbalanced.
• the device according to the invention can thus be safely stored in particular during a storm or between two transhipments, with the cylinders in the retracted position and fixed to said buoyancy and docking structure, the assembly being positionable against the hull of the first boat by concomitantly performing a retraction of the cylinders and deballasting said float due to the rotational joints authorized by said first and second fixing devices and articulation in rotation.
• the cylinders retracted and fixed to said buoyancy and docking structure with said deballasted docking float can be immobilized against the hull of the first vessel with a conventional immobilization system of the assembly, for example by strapping webbing.
• said first and second fixing devices and articulation in rotation at the ends of each cylinder allow each at least a first rotation of said cylinder with respect to a first horizontal axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis said cylinder, and a second rotation of said cylinder relative to a second axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said cylinder and located in a vertical plane comprising the longitudinal axis of said cylinder.
• the two fastening devices and articulation at the two ends of each jack allow in combination two degrees of freedom in rotation of the jack comprising:
• differential longitudinal sliding of the different cylinders allows angular spacing of the two boats relative to each other.
• said first and second fixing devices and rotational articulation further allow a third rotation with respect to the longitudinal direction of the jack.
• each said cylinder when the stem of each said cylinder is attached to a said buoyancy and docking structure, the cylinder is disposed above the sea surface horizontally or with an inclination of the cylinder rod relative to a horizontal plane less than 15 degrees remaining out of water, preferably the bodies of said cylinders being fixed at the same height on the shell plating of said first boat.
• the positioning of the cylinders out of water limits the impact of the swell and the current on the cylinders and thus avoid parasitic forces on the jacks due to the sea and finally avoid the effects of corrosion.
• said jacks when attached to a said buoyancy and docking structure, they are arranged parallel to each other and / or with an inclination of less than 30 °, preferably less than 15 ° with respect to a vertical plane perpendicular to the Tangent vertical plane bordered by the first boat.
• said cylinders are double acting hydraulic cylinders whose rods are set to an initial coupling extension position, preferably halfway, and whose hydraulic circuit is adjusted and / or automatically controlled that any deviation from said initial coupling extension position is corrected to restore the desired spacing of the two boats, including restoring the initial extension of the cylinder rods.
• the device according to the invention can be implemented in a passive mode or a controlled mode, in particular driven by software, in which in both cases the hydraulic circuit of the cylinders functions as a spring to keep the gap between the boats and limit the efforts according to the stiffness of the cylinders insofar as the initial position of extension of the cylinders is maintained by differential pressure on both sides of the piston.
• the response of the cylinders can be linear, that is to say a response independent of the position of extension of the rod or a non-linear response, that is to say a response in which the more the boats deviate or bring closer and more effort in the jack becomes important.
• first and second vessel or floating support from 100 to 300m, and to maintain a spacing between the first boat and the second boat from 15 to 50m
• cylinders from 10 to 30m with a stroke of 5 at 20m More particularly, for said first and second vessel or floating support 150 to 300m, and to maintain a spacing between the first boat and the second boat 25 to 40m, preferably a spacing of 30-35m, it implements jacks from 10 to 24m with a stroke of 5 to 10m.
• the number of cylinders depends on the strength of the cylinders. More particularly, the cylinders have a force of 150 to 750 T (tons), preferably 250 to 500 T. It is thus possible to implement 3 or 4 jacks of forces of 250 to 500 T, the cylinder rods being suitable to move on a race of 5 to 10m especially for the mooring of 2 boats from 150 to 300m.
• said buoyancy and docking structure comprises at least one anchoring element capable of catching on the second boat, when said float is partly at least ballasted and said hooking element is immersed, said attachment element having a disposition and / or shape making it suitable for being positioned below the bottom of the second boat by ballasting said docking float and then pressing against and / or facing the bottom of the second boat by partial deballasting of said docking float.
• said immovable catching element is located on said buoyancy and docking structure at a height so that when said float is unballasted and said cylinders are in a safety position against the first boat, said element hanging is out of water.
• said hooking element may comprise conventional means of mooring by hawsers and defense rods to be applied against the plating of the second vessel or preferably vacuum suction cups or suction cups or magnetic to be applied against the plating and / or the bottom of the second boat.
• said attachment element is constituted or supported by a part of the flotation and docking structure forming a fork capable of extending under the bottom of the hull of the second boat from one side to the other and supporting magnetic suction cups or pneumatic adapted to come to rest on the bilges of the hull of the second boat.
• the device according to the invention comprises a single so-called flotation and docking structure consisting of beams and / or tubes assembled in lattice forming a tower, preferably a tubular structure of parallelepipedal shape, comprising at least one said float immersed able to be ballasted, preferably in the form of cylindrical coil and / or parallelepiped box integrated or supported by said structure.
• This embodiment facilitates the establishment of the device for docking against the second vessel or floating support both as regards the stability of the vertical structure ballast ball float and its orientation to achieve said docking.
• said buoyancy and docking structure extends in height from below the hull of said second boat, preferably at least 50 m below the sea level or even at least 50 m below the hull, until at least above the deck of said second boat, preferably at a height (H1) of 60 at 100m.
• said buoyancy and docking structure extends in the longitudinal direction of the second boat for a length of at least a quarter of the length of said second boat.
• said flotation and docking structure extends in the longitudinal direction of the second boat over a length (Ll) of 40 to 100m for a boat of 150 to 300m.
• the present invention also relates to a set of two boats coupled edge to edge by distance using a coupling device according to the invention.
• the device according to the invention ensures the coupling between a first boat which is a floating support of the type comprising a gas liquefaction or regasification installation and a second vessel of the LNG vessel type, and said floating structure and docking means supports flexible pipe support channels extending out of water between said first and second boats arranged edge to edge.
• the present invention also relates to a method of implementing a coupling device according to the invention, characterized in that one of the following steps is implemented in which: a) said jacks being in retracted position and said buoyancy and docking structure with at least one said deballasted float being fixed to said cylinders at said second fastening devices and articulation, said cylinders being partially plated at least out of water against and / or above the hull of the first boat, the said float (s) is ballasted to immerse the said buoyancy and docking structure to the depth adapted for attachment to the second boat and is rotated and deployed concomitantly said cylinders for fixing said buoyancy and docking structure against the second boat,
• said cylinders being deployed in the initial medium coupling extension position and said flotation and docking structure, being fixed to said cylinders at said second fixing devices and articulation, and fixed to said second boat at the level of (s) said element (s) of collisions, with a said ballast float, actuate the extension of said cylinders and / or automatically drive said cylinders so that said cylinders and the two boats remain in their initial position or return to their original position with a distance between the two controlled vessels in case they deviate from it, and
• FIGS. 1A and 1B show views of a first preferred embodiment of the device 1 according to the invention in the coupling position attached to and between the first boat of the FLNG type and the second boat of the LNGC type (FIG. 1A). and in the absence of the second boat ( Figure 1B),
• FIGS. 2A and 2B show views of a second embodiment of the device 1 according to the invention in a storage position fixed against the hull of a first boat of the FLNG type ( Figure 2A) and in mating position between the two boats (Figure 2B);
• FIGS. 3A to 3C show the flotation and docking structures 3 according to first (FIG. 3A), second (FIG. 3B) and third (FIG. 3C) embodiments of the coupling device according to the invention.
• FIG. 4 shows a detail of a cylinder 2, 21-24 with its two fixing devices and articulation in rotation 2cl on the first boat type FLNG 10 and 2c2 on a tubular element 31 of the tower of the flotation structure and docking 3.
• the buoyancy and docking structure 3 comprises an open structure forming a tower consisting of an assembly of a plurality of vertical tubes 31 arranged in such a way as to form at least 4 edges of said tower and supporting an upper platform 3c.
• the tower is connected to the first boat 10 by jacks 21-24 described below.
• Each vertical tube 31 is connected to each of the other two adjacent adjacent tubes 31 by (a) first tubes or beams of horizontal junctions 32a perpendicular to the axis of the tower, and (b) second tubes or junction beams arranged in inclination 32b in chevrons or diagonally possibly intersecting between said two vertical tubes 31.
• the tower supports on its upper face a platform 3c adapted to receive the technical intervention personnel who can for example access it from the first boat 10 by bridges 40 shown in Figure 3C.
• the tower is equipped with the docking system 3b, 3bl-3b2 forming a said hooking element for hooking up said flotation and docking structure to the hull of the second boat 11.
• Said anchoring element or docking system can include a system of plates equipped with suction cups or magnetic fasteners 3b.
• the attachment element comprises 4 said plates 3b equipped with suction cups or magnetic fasteners disposed on the upper face of two pairs of horizontal tubular elements 33b cantilevered constituting a fork 33 extending horizontally in advance out of the turn towards the second boat from the face of the tower opposite the boat.
• These horizontal tubular elements 33b are supported by lower inclined tubular elements 33a and form a fork 33 extending in the horizontal direction along a length L3 covering the width of the keel 11b of the second boat supporting 4 plates which may be simple supports and / or magnetic fasteners such as magnetic suckers 3b.
• these plates 3b are inclined so that they come to rest on the chines 11c on each side of the shell (junction area between the lia 11a and the keel 11b), two pairs of plates 3b inclinations symmetrically opposite each side.
• the width L3 is here about 50 m, representative of the most important LNG carriers and allows to adapt to LNG tankers of 30m wide.
• the remote longitudinal end of said fork is supported by floats 3a in the form of vertical cylindrical rolls 3al able to be ballasted / deballasted.
• Other lower tubular portions 3a2 of the tower form floats in the form of cylindrical rolls capable of being ballasted / deballasted.
• the buoyancy structure 3 comprises a tower supporting floats 3a comprising four parallelepipedic buoyancy chambers 3a'l-3a'4, two of which 3a'3 and 3a'4 in the lower part of the tower and two 3a'l and3a'2 in the underside of the forward end of the fork 33.
• the fork 33 supports 3 plates 3b arranged in a triangle including 1 plate on the side of the tower and 2 plates of inclination opposite side from the end of the two branches of the fork.
• the thrust distribution between the cylindrical members 31, 32a-32b, 33a-33b of the tower and these 4 caissons 3a'l-3a'4 is 2600 tons force for the cylindrical chords versus 1700 tons force for the 4 caissons 3a ' l-3a'4.
• the support plates or magnetic suction cups 3b comprise three vertical plates 3b2 on the external face of the tower and two horizontal plates 3bl on the upper face of the end of the fork 33 which are pressed against the flank 11a and respectively the bottom 11b of the second boat 11. More specifically, in this embodiment, on a face disposed opposite the second boat, the tower supports:
• 2A-2B and 3B comprises three jacks 21, 22 and 23, 2 jacks 21-22 in Figure 3A and 4 jacks 21-24 in Figure 3C.
• the 21-24 cylinders are single chamber or telescopic - and double acting.
• the various cylinders are successively spaced from one another in the longitudinal direction of the first boat 10 and of the tower 3.
• the various cylinders are fixed at one end in the upper part of the tower of the floating structure 3 and are fixed or intended to be fixed at the other end in the upper part of the hull raised 10a of the first boat 10 so as to extend above the surface of the water 12 in the deployed position.
• each cylinder of the rear flanges of the cylinder body 2a are fixed by a hinge device 2c1 to the hull 10a of the first boat 10 and whose ends of the cylinder rods 2b are fixed by a hinge device 2c2 in upper part of a flotation and docking structure 3 ensuring the flotation of the device and allowing adjustment of the vertical position of the assembly.
• the fastening and articulation devices 2c1 and 2c2 shown in FIG. 4 allow two degrees of freedom in rotation with respect to two perpendicular axes of rotation comprising a system allowing a first rotation of said jack with respect to a first axis of rotation.
• the fastening and articulation devices 2c1 and 2c2 each comprise an intermediate independent connecting piece 2el, 2e2 each comprising:
• a first part comprising two branches forming a first stirrup 2e'l, 2e'2 cooperating with a first mounting plate
• the cylinder rod 2a is further able to rotate in itself in the cylinder body 2b, the jack thus forming a swivel (swivel) mounted to the two devices 2c1 and 2c2 allowing a third rotation by relative to the longitudinal direction of the cylinder.
• first and second fixing devices and articulation in rotation are typically mechanical elements with a ball embedded in a spherical housing thus allowing the cylinders to work only axially in sliding.
• the coupling device 1 is grafted typically to the first boat 10 of the FLNG type with the cylinders in the retracted position, one end 2cc of which is fixed to the side or lined 10a of the first boat.
• the coupling device 1 When the coupling device 1 is not used, especially in the event of a storm, it is put in the safety or storage position: cylinders 2, 21-24 retracted and positioned folded upwards above their ends 2cl against the hull of the first boat with the buoyancy and docking structure 3 in the upper position by deballasting at least part of the float or floats 3a to follow and allow the cylinders to pivot until the maximum retracted cylinders are substantially vertical position with said flotation and docking structure 3 attached to said cylinders at said second fastening devices and articulation 2c2, all of the jacks and the floating structure 3 being partially plated at least out of water against the hull of the first boat, as shown in Figures 1A-1B and 2B.
• the hooking of the buoyancy and docking structure 3 on the second boat typically an LNGC (LNG carrier), comprises the following successive stages:
• the set of cylinders 2, 21-24 and the flotation structure 3 being partially plated at least out of water against the hull of the first boat, as represented in FIGS. 1A-1B and 2B, the said float (s) are ballasted to immerse the said floatation structure and docking 3 to the appropriate depth and is pivoted and deploys concomitantly said cylinders by hydraulic actuation to a position inclined above the surface of the water 12 preferably at an inclination of less than 15 ° relative to the horizontal,
• the whole of the first boat and the coupling device attached to the second boat are moved, or preferably the first boat being generally anchored, the second boat is moved by tug near the first boat and said coupling device attached thereto, and
• the floats 3al-3a4, 3a'l-3a'4 are ballasted to lower the plates 3b opposite the hull, in particular the lower plates 3b, 3bl of the upper face of the fork 33 under the hull 11b, 11c of the second ship 11, then
• the floats 3al-3a4, 3a'l-3a'4 are re-deballasted so that the lower plates 3b, 3bl rise to come to press against and / or opposite the bottom of the shell 11a of the second boat 11, and
• the coupling device 1 comprises
• cylinders 21-23 including a central cylinder 22 and two cylinders 21 and 23 adapted to be arranged symmetrically with respect to the central cylinder.
• the central cylinder 22 is arranged in a vertical plane perpendicular to the vertical plane tangent to the plating 10 of the first boat 10 while the cylinders 21 and 23 are arranged symmetrically in planes vertically inclined at an angle of less than 30 ° to a vertical plane perpendicular to the vertical plane tangent to the plating of the first boat 10.
• the four jacks 21-24 are arranged in two pairs of jacks 21-22 and 23-24 each forming a V when they are deployed and fixed on the buoyancy structure 3.
• the distance between the point 2c2 of the cylinder 24 and the corresponding point of the cylinder 21 on the coupling device is about 80m.
• the spacings L4 60m of the two cylinders for each pair 24-23 and 22-21 are greater at their attachments 2c1 on the hull of the first boat than the spacings at their attachments 2c2 on the buoyancy structure 3 which are close to each other.
• the various cylinders 21-24 are arranged in a vertical plane with an inclination less than 30 degrees relative to a vertical plane perpendicular to the vertical plane tangent to the plating of the first boat.
• the cylinders are further arranged with an inclination relative to a horizontal plane less than 15 degrees.
• Said buoyancy and docking structure 3 can advantageously support in the upper part flexible pipe support trunking extending out of water between said first and second boat arranged edge to edge.
• a cylinder stroke of 5m with lengths of jacks from 10m to 15m allows a spacing between boats of 30 - 34m or a stroke of 10m leads to lengths of jacks from 22m to 24m for a spacing between boats of 40 -44m.
• Said cylinders being deployed in the initial medium coupling extension position and said flotation and docking structure, attached to said cylinders and said second boat, with said ballast float, as shown in Figure 2A, is actuated extending said cylinders and / or automatically piloting said cylinders so that said cylinders and the two boats remain in their initial position or return to their initial position with a distance between the two boats controlled in case they are would spread.
• the two boats interact little dynamically with each other.
• the efforts taken by the device are averaged efforts and not impact efforts. With this feature it is possible to keep the two boats together even when the swell becomes strong (swells of the order of 4m typically supportable).
• the cylinders can be controlled according to three modes:
• Non-linear passive mode the cylinders behave like springs with a stiffness that depends on the position of the rod in the cylinder liner;
• Nonlinear active mode the stiffness of the cylinders is adapted instantly and driven by software analyzing the relative position of the two boats. Said cylinders 21, 22, 23 being deployed in the initial medium coupling extension position and said flotation and docking structure 3 attached to said cylinders and to said second boat, with said ballasted float, said floating and docking structure 3 is separated from said second vessel, then said cylinders are retracted and said float 3a is unpacked until it comes to press the assembly in part at least out of against the hull of the first boat as described above.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
• Vibration Prevention Devices (AREA)
• Wind Motors (AREA)
• Earth Drilling (AREA)
• Electroplating Methods And Accessories (AREA)
• Quick-Acting Or Multi-Walled Pipe Joints (AREA)
• Pivots And Pivotal Connections (AREA)
• Transmission Devices (AREA)
• Toys (AREA)

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• 2017
  • 2017-02-27 FR FR1751558A patent/FR3063277B1/fr active Active
• 2018
  • 2018-02-09 SG SG11201906254VA patent/SG11201906254VA/en unknown
  • 2018-02-09 KR KR1020197024886A patent/KR102205732B1/ko active IP Right Grant
  • 2018-02-09 BR BR112019016434-0A patent/BR112019016434B1/pt active IP Right Grant
  • 2018-02-09 US US16/488,769 patent/US10994812B2/en active Active
  • 2018-02-09 CN CN201880014157.6A patent/CN110352159B/zh active Active
  • 2018-02-09 JP JP2019541278A patent/JP6887591B2/ja active Active
  • 2018-02-09 AU AU2018225326A patent/AU2018225326B2/en active Active
  • 2018-02-09 EP EP18706810.1A patent/EP3585679A1/fr not_active Withdrawn
  • 2018-02-09 WO PCT/FR2018/050325 patent/WO2018154212A1/fr active Application Filing

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