JP2014156176A - Underwater elevator - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an underwater elevator which efficiently transfers a large quantity of cargoes from the seabed to a target position on the sea.SOLUTION: A plurality of floating/sinking bodies 10a to 10i float or sink in procession under the sea. The respective plurality of floating/sinking bodies set first guide beacon transmission means 201 on the seabed as a target position when sinking by receiving guide beacons therefrom and second beacon transmission means 102 on the sea as the target position when floating by receiving the guide beacons therefrom. Subsequent floating/sinking bodies in floating or sinking processions receive tracking beacons transmitted from tracking beacon transmission means of the previous floating/sinking bodies and float or sink by tracking the same. First transfer means 200 which is installed on the seabed to transfer cargoes transfers the same on the seabed onto cargo loading sections of the plurality of floating/sinking bodies.

Description

  The present invention relates to an underwater elevator that transfers cargo between a water bottom or water and water using a floating sediment that floats or sinks in water.

When utilizing resources buried in the ocean floor or lake bottom, or when installing facilities such as power generation facilities in the ocean to obtain renewable energy in the ocean, a large amount of materials between the ocean floor or the water and the water Need to carry the cargo.
Conventionally, for example, a method of transporting goods using a submersible craft capable of diving to the deep sea or the bottom of a lake has been taken. This method has a problem that the carrying capacity of the submersible is limited, and efficient transportation of goods is not possible. Moreover, when acquiring crude oil such as the seabed, a technique has been taken in which oil resources are collected by drilling the bottom of the water by boring or the like and extending a long pipe to the bottom of the water. However, this method is limited to fluid resources such as oil and cannot cope with a large amount of transport of solid resources and cargo.

In addition, when generating and acquiring renewable energy in the ocean, it is necessary to maintain facilities constructed on the sea or in the sea, such as power generation facilities, and it is necessary to transport a large amount of repair equipment for that purpose. is there.
For the purpose of transferring such goods, there is an attempt to transport the goods using a floating sediment that floats or sinks in water. For example, a technology relating to a resource recovery boat that uses gravity, buoyancy, and water pressure as a means of transportation when unsealing submarine resources is disclosed (for example, see Patent Document 1).
In addition, what is described in Non-Patent Document 1 is a building that is installed in a building on the ground, using a mooring line stretched between a buoy floating on the sea surface and sinking a weight with a mooring line attached to the seabed. The shuttle main body corresponding to the “car” in the elevator is moved up and down.

JP 2012-30537 A Kimiaki Kudo, “Research and Development of Underwater Elevator System”, March 2000, Research Report of Marine Science and Technology Center, No. 41, p. 21-35.

The technique described in Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for sinking or ascending in water, but does not disclose a technique for guiding a resource recovery boat to a target position. There is a problem that it is difficult to transport the resource recovery boat to the target position due to the disturbance such as.
Moreover, in what was described in the nonpatent literature 1, since one shuttle is basically moved up and down about one cableway, it is not suitable for transferring a large amount of goods. In addition, when the underwater flow is strong, it is assumed that the entire weight is swept away. Therefore, there is a problem that it cannot be a means for efficiently transferring a large amount of cargo to a target position.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object of the present invention is to obtain an underwater elevator that reliably and efficiently transfers a large amount of cargo from the seabed to a target position on the sea.

  The underwater elevator according to the present invention is equipped with guided beacon receiving means, tracking beacon transmitting means, tracking beacon receiving means and cargo for receiving guided beacons from the first and second guided beacon transmitting means respectively provided on the sea floor and on the sea. A plurality of floating sediments that float or sink in the water, and the plurality of floating sediments float or sink in a matrix, each of the plurality of floating sediments is When sinking, it receives the guidance beacon from the first guidance beacon transmission means and sets it as the target position, and when it rises, it receives the guidance beacon from the second beacon transmission means and sets the target position. In the procession, the second and subsequent levitated sediments in the direction of ascending or sinking receive the tracking beacons transmitted by the tracking beacon transmitting means of the preceding levitating sediments. It flies or sinks following the levitated sediment in front, and is provided on the seabed, and the first transfer means for transferring cargo to the cargo loading section of the plurality of levitated sediments. It is characterized by being transferred.

  According to the present invention, the plurality of levitated sediments are floated or settled in a matrix, and each of the plurality of levitated sediments is subjected to the first induction when sinking. Direction to rise or sink in the matrix by receiving the guidance beacon from the beacon sending means and setting it as the target position, and when rising, receiving the guidance beacon from the second beacon sending means and setting the target position The second and subsequent levitated sediments are those that receive the tracking beacon transmitted by the tracking beacon transmitting means of the preceding levitated sediment and follow the levitating sediment in front and ascend or sink, and are provided on the seabed. Then, by transferring the cargo on the seabed to the cargo loading parts of a plurality of floating sediments by the first transfer means for transferring the cargo, a large amount of cargo is reliably and efficiently transferred from the seabed to the sea. be able to.

It is a figure which shows the structure of the underwater elevator by Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a figure which shows the structure of the floating sedimentation body by Embodiment 1 of this invention.

  The underwater elevator according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. The following embodiment is an exemplification, and the present invention is not limited to the following embodiment. Further, in the following embodiments, a case where the present invention is applied to the ocean will be described as an example. However, the application destination of the present invention is not limited to the ocean, and can be similarly applied to lakes, rivers, and the like. is there.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 shows the configuration of an underwater elevator 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. The underwater elevator 1 includes a plurality of levitated sediments 10a, 10b, 10c... That float or sink between the sea surface and a predetermined position in the seabed or the sea, a sea transport ship 100, a structure provided on the seabed or in the sea ( Hereinafter, guided beacon transmitting means (first guided beacon transmitting means) 201 laid on the underwater structure), transfer means (first for moving and transferring cargo provided on the seabed or underwater structure) (Transfer means) 200.
In the maritime transport ship 100, a guiding beacon indicating a target position on the sea when the transfer means (second transfer means) 101 for moving and transshipping cargo on the sea, the floating sediments 10a, 10b, 10c and the like ascend. A guiding beacon transmitting means (second guiding beacon transmitting means) 102 is provided.

Hereinafter, the levitated sediments 10a, 10b, 10c,...
In FIG. 2, the structure of the floating sediment 10 is shown. The floating sediment 10 is provided with a cargo loading portion 38 having a function of loading or hanging cargo. In addition, a buoyancy body 21 having a buoyancy in which the levitation sedimentation body 10 and cargo are balanced in weight in water is provided inside the levitation sedimentation body 10. The buoyancy body 21 is poured into the buoyancy tank 22 for increasing or decreasing the buoyancy, or drained by sending air from the compressed air reservoir 23, so that when there is no cargo, the buoyancy body 21 The buoyancy is adjusted, and when the cargo is loaded, the overall buoyancy of the cargo and the floating sediment 10 is adjusted.

Drainage and water supply are performed through a water pipe 25 disposed between the buoyancy tank 22 and the outermost part of the floating sediment 10. In the water pipe 25, a water supply / drainage valve 24 is provided at the outermost part of the floating sediment 10. By doing in this way, the levitated sediment 10 can be levitated or settled by itself.
Further, the levitated sediment 10 is provided with one or a plurality of rudders 37. By controlling the direction of the rudder 37 using the control means 35, the levitated sediment 10 sinks or floats toward the settling target position or the floating target position.
Further, the floating sediment 10 is provided with a guided beacon receiving unit 32, a tracking beacon receiving unit 33, and a tracking beacon transmitting unit 34.

The guiding beacon receiving means 32 receives the guiding beacon transmitted from the guiding beacon transmitting means 102 on the sea when the ascending and descending body 10 ascends, and sets the target position to the guiding beacon transmitting position on the sea. Further, when the levitated sediment 10 sinks, it receives a guided beacon transmitted from the guided beacon transmitting means 201 located on the seabed or in the sea, and sets the target position to the guided beacon transmitting position on the seabed or in the sea.
The tracking beacon receiving means 33 receives the tracking beacon transmitted from the tracking beacon transmitting means 34 in the rising and sinking body 10 in the forward (floating or sinking) direction of the rising and lowering body 10, and the tracking beacon in the forward direction of the traveling position is received. Set to the outgoing location.

As a guide beacon and a tracking beacon (hereinafter, both are collectively referred to as a beacon), one of light, electromagnetic waves, and sound waves is used as a main carrier wave, but sound waves are advantageous in terms of the reach distance of the beacons. At this time, in the transmission / reception of beacons, it is necessary to prevent unexpected interference and irradiation of malicious fake beacons. Therefore, a function for identifying the received beacons is required.
Therefore, the beacon is modulated and transmitted as identification information. For example, a unique numerical value is assigned to each beacon, and the numerical value is encrypted on the transmitting side and decrypted on the receiving side using a common encryption key that is predetermined on the transmitting side and the receiving side. Thereby, mixing of interference and a false beacon can be prevented. Also, means such as exchange of a common encryption key using public key encryption may be used.

Further, the floating sediment 10 is provided with communication means 36. The communication means 36 is used for individual identification or self-location when floating on the sea. A GPS (Global Positioning System) function may be provided as a position sensor for self-position evaluation. By receiving the individual identification or self-location information transmitted from the communication means 36 together with the position information, each individual of the floating sediment 10 can be identified from the maritime transport ship 100, and the floating sediment 10 It is possible to grasp the surface that has surfaced.
Further, the levitated sediment 10 is provided with a storage battery 40 and a charged unit (or a power receiving unit) for charging the storage battery 40.

  When the remaining capacity of the storage battery 40 becomes low, the levitated sediment 10 is connected to the charging device 110 installed on the sea to be charged and used as a power source necessary for operation. The charging device 110 may be equipped with a large-capacity storage battery, or may be provided with power generation equipment that generates power from wind power or the like.

Next, the operation will be described.
As shown in FIG. 1, the floating sediments 10a, 10b, 10c,... Sink or float in a matrix in water. In FIG. 1, the floating sediments 10 a to 10 d form a matrix that sinks, and the floating sediments 10 e to 10 h form a matrix that floats. At this time, no physical connection means such as a rope is used between the floating sediments 10a, 10b, 10c. When proceeding side by side as a matrix (sedimentation or levitation), each of the levitation sediments 10a, 10b, 10c,... Uses the tracking beacon transmission means 34 toward the levitation sedimentation body 10 that moves one behind. Send a tracking beacon. The levitation sink 10 moving behind receives the tracking beacon transmitted by the levitation sink 10 moving forward by the tracking beacon receiving means 33.

Thereby, the levitation sink 10 progresses by making the transmission position of the tracking beacon from the tracking beacon transmission means 34 of the levitation sediment 10 traveling forward one as the target position. For example, the surfacing body 10b sets the transmission position of the tracking beacon transmitted by the previous surfacing body 10a in the settling matrix as the target position.
Further, when the target position on the seabed (or underwater) is approached, the guided beacon receiving means 32 provided in the levitated sediment 10 is transmitted from the guided beacon transmitting means 201 installed on the seabed (or underwater). , And the target position is set as the guidance beacon transmission position, thereby sinking to the target position on the seabed (or underwater).
After the levitated sediment 10 arrives at or near the target position, the cargo loading section 38 of the levitated sediment 10 is transferred to the cargo mounting portion 38 by the transfer means (first transfer means) 200 installed on the seabed (or underwater). Is mounted (that is, transferred).

Next, the levitation body 10 uses the buoyancy body 21 to adjust the buoyancy, and the levitation body 10 is lifted so that cargo on the seabed (or underwater) is carried to the sea.
Also when levitating, the levitated sediments 10a, 10b, 10c,.. Even in the case of ascent, each of the levitated sediments 10a, 10b, 10c,..., Using the tracking beacon transmitting means 34 toward the levitated sediment 10 that moves one back, Send a tracking beacon. The levitation sink 10 moving behind receives the tracking beacon transmitted by the tracking beacon transmitting means 34 of the levitation sink 10 moving forward by the tracking beacon receiving means 33. As a result, the levitated sediment 10 is levitated with the levitated sediment 10 moving forward one as a target.

When the levitation sink 10 approaches the sea, it receives a guidance beacon transmitted from a guidance beacon transmission means 102 (second guidance beacon transmission means) that transmits a guidance beacon indicating a target position on the sea, and guides the target position. By setting the beacon transmission position, it will surface at the target position at sea.
The guidance beacon transmission means 102 transmits a guidance beacon so that the approaching floating body 10 approaches the designated position. The guiding beacon transmitting means 102 is installed near the bottom of the ocean transport ship 100 and the cargo on the sea floor, and calls the levitation sinking body 10 nearby. As described above, the levitated sediment 10 relies on the guidance beacon to move the rudder 37 to control the ascending position and moves closer to the guidance beacon transmission means 102.

As described above, the floating sediments 10a, 10b, 10c... Advance (sediment or float) in a matrix along the arrow A in FIG.
When the levitation sink 10 ascends to or near the sea surface, only the cargo is removed from the levitation sink 10 by the transfer means 101 (second transfer means) that moves the cargo on the sea and is loaded on the maritime transport ship 100. . Alternatively, after the levitation sediment 10 is loaded on the ocean transport ship 100 together with the cargo, only the cargo may be removed and the levitation sediment 10 may be released into the water again.
When the remaining capacity of the storage battery 40 becomes low, the levitated sediment 10 is connected to the charging device 110 installed on the sea and charged (the levitated sediment 10z in FIG. 1).

Further, the maritime transport ship 100 may be provided with a rising position estimating means 120 for estimating a position where the rising and sinking body 10 rises from a specific position on the seabed to the sea surface. The maritime transport ship 100 can move to the ascending position estimated using the ascending position estimating means 120 and wait for the ascending sediment 10 to rise while guiding using the guiding beacon transmitting means 102.
In addition, the levitated sediment that has been levitated at a distance that cannot be reached by the transfer means 101 provided on the sea moves toward the self-position information of the levitated sediment that the maritime transport ship 100 is emitted from the communication means provided in the levitated sediment. Then, the cargo of the floating sediment 10 or the floating sediment 10 is collected together with the cargo.

The maritime transport ship 100 can also be provided with a settling position estimating means 130. The subsidence position estimation means 130 estimates the position on the sea surface where the subsidence body 10 is released to a certain position in the sea and then sinks. After the levitation sink 10 is released into the sea, the position on the sea surface where the levitation sink 10 sinks is estimated using the sink position estimation means 130. Then, it moves to the estimated position on the sea and waits for the surfacing body 10 to rise.
The ascending position estimation means 120 can estimate the ascending position of the surfacing body 10 using the direction of the ocean current, information on the strength, weather information, and the like. Alternatively, the ascending position can be estimated by holding the relationship between the sinking position and the ascending position of the surfacing body 10 as a history database for each sea area. By using these means in combination, the estimation accuracy of the flying position can be increased.

Although the above-described case where the ascending position estimating unit 120 and the sinking position estimating unit 130 are provided in the maritime transport ship 100 has been described, they may be installed in marine facilities provided on the sea other than the maritime transport ship 100. Further, the ascending position estimating means 120 and the sinking position estimating means 130 can be provided on land facilities and can be realized by transmitting / receiving information to / from facilities on the sea such as the maritime transport ship 100 via a communication function.
Moreover, when the storage battery 40 mounted on the levitated sediment 10 approaches the discharged state, it floats as a default operation. Alternatively, the levitation sediment 10 is also levitated when it breaks down. By doing so, there is an effect that when the above-described situation occurs, searching the sea surface makes it easy to collect the levitated sediment 10 that has deviated from the matrix.

  In addition, when the storage battery 40 approaches a discharged state or when the levitation sediment 10 breaks down, it can be allowed to settle as a default operation. In this case, it can be prevented that the waste becomes floating on the sea. Or, it has the effect of reducing the chances of cargo being stolen by a third party. In addition, the levitated sediment 10 that has settled on the seabed can be periodically collected using a submersible craft or the like for collecting the levitated sediment 10.

  According to the present embodiment, underwater elevator 1 includes guided beacon transmitting means (first guided beacon transmitting means) 102 provided on the sea floor and guided beacon transmitting means (second guided beacon transmitting means provided on the sea). ) A plurality of levitated sediments having levitating beacon receiving means 32 for receiving the guiding beacon from 201, tracking beacon transmitting means 34, tracking beacon receiving means 33 and cargo loading section 38 for loading cargo, and floating or sinking in the water. 10a, 10b, 10c,..., And the plurality of floating sediments 10a, 10b, 10c,... Float or sink in a matrix. In addition, each of the plurality of levitated sediments 10a, 10b, 10c... Receives a guided beacon from a guided beacon transmitting means (first guided beacon transmitting means) 102 provided on the seabed when it sinks. The target position is set, and when ascending, the target beacon is received from the guided beacon transmitting means (second guided beacon transmitting means) 201 provided on the sea, and the target position is set. Further, in the matrix of the plurality of floating sediments 10a, 10b, 10c..., The second and subsequent floating sediments 10 are tracked by the tracking beacon transmission means 34 of the floating sediment 10 in the front. The beacon is received, followed by the rising and sinking body 10 ahead, and rising or sinking. Further, the cargo on the seabed is transferred to the cargo loading portions 38 of the plurality of floating sediments 10a, 10b, 10c,... By the transfer means (first transfer means) 200 for transferring the cargo provided on the seabed. Included. As described above, a large amount of cargo, resources, etc. on the seabed (or underwater) can be reliably and efficiently transferred to a target position on the sea.

Moreover, the underwater elevator 1 can estimate the ascending position of the levitation body 10 by providing the ascending position estimation means 120 in marine facilities such as the marine transport ship 100, and can more efficiently cargo on the sea floor (or underwater). A large amount of resources can be transported to the sea.
Further, by providing the sinking position estimating means 130 in a marine facility such as the marine transport ship 100, the sinking position of the levitated sediment 10 can be estimated, and a large amount of cargo, resources, etc. on the seabed (or underwater) can be more efficiently obtained. Can be transported to the sea.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Underwater elevator 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 10f, 10g, 10h, 10h, 10i, 10z Levitation sediment, 32 guidance beacon reception means, 33 tracking beacon reception means, 34 tracking beacon transmission means, 35 control means , 37 rudder, 38 cargo loading section, 100 sea carrier, 101 transfer means provided on the sea (second transfer means), 102 guided beacon sending means provided on the sea (second guided beacon sending means) , 120 Ascent position estimation means, 130 Sedimentation position estimation means,
200 Transfer means (first transfer means) provided on the seabed,
201 Guided beacon transmitting means (first guided beacon transmitting means) provided on the seabed.

Claims (5)

It has a guided beacon receiving means for receiving guided beacons from the first and second guided beacon transmitting means provided on the seabed and the sea, a tracking beacon transmitting means, a tracking beacon receiving means, and a cargo loading section for loading cargo. A plurality of floating sediments that float or sink in the water,
The plurality of levitated sediments float or sink in a matrix,
Each of the plurality of levitated sediments receives a guidance beacon from the first guidance beacon sending means when settling, and sets it as a target position, and when it ascends from the second beacon sending means The target beacon is set by receiving
The second and subsequent levitated sediments in the direction of ascent or sink in the matrix receive the tracking beacon transmitted by the tracking beacon transmitting means of the preceding levitated sediment, and follow the front levitating sediment to rise or Settling,
An underwater elevator characterized in that a first transfer means provided on the seabed transfers cargo on the seabed to a cargo mounting portion of the plurality of floating sediments. Each of the plurality of levitated sediments includes a rudder and a control means for controlling an angle of the rudder,
By controlling the angle of the rudder by the control means, the direction in which each of the plurality of levitated and submerged bodies floats or sinks is set toward the transmission position of the received tracking beacon or guiding beacon. The underwater elevator according to claim 1.   A second transfer means provided on the sea for transferring the cargo is provided, and the cargo is transferred to the maritime transport ship from a cargo mounting portion of a plurality of levitated sediments floating on the sea. Or the underwater elevator of 2.   The underwater elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a floating position estimation unit that is provided on the sea and estimates a floating position of a plurality of floating sediments.   The underwater elevator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a settling position estimating unit that is provided on the sea and estimates settling positions of a plurality of floating sediments.

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