KR102646193B1 - Aqua loop - manned-unmanned underwater vehicle based submarine transportation system - Google Patents

Abstract

The Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system according to the present invention includes a manned and unmanned underwater vehicle that can carry passengers and cargo and move underwater, a tube that is installed underwater and can move the manned and unmanned underwater vehicle inside, and a manned and unmanned underwater vehicle. It includes a station that includes facilities for boarding and disembarking passengers or loading and unloading cargo, and a central control center that remotely controls and monitors the movement of the manned and unmanned underwater vehicle, and the end of the tube is a tube joint installed toward the outside of the station. It is characterized by being combined with. According to the present invention having such a configuration, it is possible to provide an Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system that requires relatively low initial construction and maintenance costs and can be operated using a relatively simple control system. There is.

Description

Aqua Loop - Manned-Unmanned Underwater Vehicle-Based Undersea Transportation System {AQUA LOOP - MANNED-UNMANNED UNDERWATER VEHICLE BASED SUBMARINE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM}

The present invention relates to underwater transportation facilities, and more specifically, to an underwater tube transportation system exposed to the sea floor that can replace transportation facilities such as sea bridges and undersea tunnels.

Until now, oversea grand bridges and underwater tunnels have been mainly used as transportation facilities for crossing rivers, seas, and fjords of a certain width or greater. Marine bridges and undersea tunnels are the most commonly applied technologies so far, so many theories and technologies have been accumulated. However, there are clear disadvantages in terms of construction period and cost, such as the need for the construction of countless bridge piers and undersea ground excavation and stabilization work. In addition, these existing facilities have clear technical limitations that make them fundamentally difficult to apply in sea areas above a certain depth.

The concept of a submerged floating tube transportation system was presented as a completely new transportation facility that can compensate for these shortcomings. The floating underwater tube system is moored at a certain depth below the free surface of the water, and is a system in which vehicles and railways operate within the moored tube. The concept has been consistently proposed, led by Norway, Japan, and the United States, depending on the topographical characteristics. Unlike the existing marine transportation system mentioned above, the underwater tube transportation system can be constructed by assembling it immediately in the target sea area by pre-fabricating the tube body and mooring system on land without requiring extensive underwater ground excavation work or offshore pier construction, thereby reducing the construction period. and costs can be greatly reduced. In addition, if air friction inside the tube is minimized, it is possible to apply a high-speed train system of 1,000 km/h, such as the hyper loop high-speed railway that is about to be commercialized in the United States.

For the safe operation of transportation facilities, above all, A. safety and stability of structures, and B. driving stability and usability of running vehicles and railroads must be secured. Accordingly, general fixed land transportation facilities are designed and constructed by examining the structural stability and usability of the structure's self-weight, environmental loads (wind and seismic loads, etc.), and vehicle loads. Even when floating underwater structures are used as transportation facilities, the fundamental design philosophy is the same.

However, compared to fixed structures on land, floating underwater structures are difficult to predict or require evaluation of different behavior in predicting structure behavior. First, floating marine structures are subject to various environmental loads compared to land-based structures. Marine environmental loads such as wind, waves, currents, and tsunamis are all media that cause dynamic behavior, and these load components are responsible for the complex dynamics of floating underwater structures. It causes movement. In addition, when vehicles and railways continuously travel on floating structures, the overall mass distribution of the structure changes frequently, and when irregular environmental loads act at this time, it not only changes the dynamic behavior characteristics of the structure, but also greatly affects the driving stability of running vehicles and trains. It can have an impact.

As a result, these behavior characteristics appear to be completely different from those of existing fixed land transportation systems, and without an analysis technique that can accurately predict them, the design and use of a floating underwater transportation system is impossible. Due to these technical difficulties, even countries with a lot of experience in designing and constructing marine structures, such as Norway, Japan, and the United States, do not yet have actual construction cases of underwater transportation systems. (In July 2016, Norway announced and is currently researching a plan to introduce an underwater tube transportation system as a coastal transportation system on the new fjord coastal highway route, which is scheduled to be completed in 2035 with a total construction cost of $25 billion.)

For the safe and reasonable design, construction, and maintenance of the floating underwater tube transportation system, which is an innovative transportation system, reasonable overall system performance evaluation technology is needed above all else. This is possible only when the core technologies of many related disciplines, such as structural engineering, marine engineering, and transportation engineering, are integrated and carried out to create the targeted research results. Based on this academic convergence, it is essential to develop fluid-structural dynamics analysis techniques for floating underwater tube transportation systems, strength and fatigue performance evaluation of major structures based on this, and usability evaluation techniques, and also develop analysis techniques and model experiments. The main dynamic behavior characteristics of underwater transportation systems must be identified.

In addition, since Korea has an underwater environment with typhoons and strong currents, a floating underwater tube system is unsuitable, and structural stability can be secured by using a method of exposing and fixing the tube to the seafloor.

In addition, applying a high-speed train system using hyperloop or superconducting magnets, which must maintain the inside of the tube in a vacuum or sub-vacuum, not only requires excessive construction and maintenance costs, but also requires new development of train movement control techniques and algorithms. There is a burden to become something.

Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-1830638 (Name: Tube structure integrating tube shield and concrete slab structure for high-speed tube railway and construction method thereof, Registration date: 2018.02.13.) Republic of Korea Patent No. 10-1034345 (Name: Repulsion levitation and guided tube transportation device, Registration date: 2011.05.03.)

The present invention was invented to improve the above-described problems. Since the interior is filled with water, there is no need to guard against flooding into the interior during construction, so initial construction and maintenance costs are relatively low, and a relatively simple control system is used. We aim to provide an undersea transportation system based on Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicles that can be operated.

The technical problems of the present invention are not limited to those mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description below.

The Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, devised to achieve the above problem, is a manned and unmanned underwater vehicle that can move underwater while carrying passengers and cargo, is installed underwater, and has an internal It includes a tube through which the manned and unmanned underwater vehicle can move, a station including facilities for passengers to board and disembark the manned and unmanned underwater vehicle or loading and unloading cargo, and a central control center that remotely controls and monitors the movement of the manned and unmanned underwater vehicle, The end of the tube is coupled to a tube coupling installed toward the outside of the station.

In addition, the tube of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention allows navigation of the manned and unmanned underwater vehicle within each tube only in one direction and between specific stations. It is characterized by enabling round-trip movement between each station by installing at least one pair of tubes.

In addition, the inside of the tube of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is installed at preset regular intervals and is installed to enable communication with the central control center to determine the location of the manned and unmanned underwater vehicle. It is characterized by the installation of underwater signs and acoustic modems that are used as indicators for confirmation.

In addition, the station of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is equipped with anchoring facilities that allow ships to anchor on the water surface, and at the same time allow passengers to board and disembark or load and unload cargo. It is characterized by including boarding and disembarkation facilities that can function as a ship.

In addition, the station of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that a drone take-off and landing pad is installed at or above the anchoring facility or embarkation and disembarkation facility.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the effect is to provide an Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system that requires relatively low initial construction and maintenance costs and can be operated using a relatively simple control system. there is.

The effects of the present invention are not limited to the effects mentioned above, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the description of the claims.

Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram schematically showing the entire Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 2 is a conceptual diagram showing that the tube of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system is connected to the station, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the tube of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system installed underwater, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Figure 4 is a conceptual diagram showing how a manned and unmanned underwater vehicle is operated inside the tube of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art can easily practice the present invention.

In describing the embodiments, descriptions of technical content that is well known in the technical field to which the present invention belongs and that are not directly related to the present invention will be omitted. This is to convey the gist of the present invention more clearly without obscuring it by omitting unnecessary explanation.

For the same reason, some components are exaggerated, omitted, or schematically shown in the accompanying drawings. Additionally, the size of each component does not entirely reflect its actual size. In each drawing, identical or corresponding components are assigned the same reference numbers.

Figure 1 is a conceptual diagram schematically showing the entire Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system 1000, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is a manned and unmanned underwater vehicle capable of moving underwater while carrying passengers and cargo (first embodiment) (11), second embodiment (22)), a tube (310, 360) installed in the water into which the manned and unmanned underwater vehicles (11, 22) can move, a passenger in the manned and unmanned underwater vehicles (11, 22) It includes a central control station that remotely controls and monitors the movement of the station 200, which includes facilities for boarding and disembarking or loading and unloading cargo, and the manned and unmanned underwater vehicles 11 and 22, and the ends of the tubes 310 and 360 It is characterized in that it is coupled to tube coupling parts 210 and 260 installed toward the outside of the station 200.

In Figure 1, the original letters ②, ③, and ④ are respectively indications that the corresponding components are shown in more detail in the drawings of each number.

Therefore, for a more detailed drawing of the station 200 in the original text ②, refer to FIG. 2 and its description, and for a more detailed drawing and explanation of the undersea tunnel (tube) in the original text ③, see FIG. 3 and its description. Please refer to , and for a more detailed drawing and explanation of the inside of the tunnel (tube) in original text ④, please refer to FIG. 4 and its description.

Figure 2 is a conceptual diagram showing that the tube of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system is connected to the station, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the station 200 included in the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system 1000, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, has tubes 310 and 360 outside the water. Tube coupling parts (210, 260) whose ends can be coupled are installed, and through these parts, the manned and unmanned underwater vehicles (11, 22) can enter the interior of the station (200) and anchor there.

While the manned and unmanned underwater vehicles 11 and 22 are anchored inside the station 200, passengers can board and disembark, or cargo can be loaded and unloaded, using the equipment for boarding and disembarking passengers and equipment for loading and unloading cargo included in the station 200. .

Here, equipment for loading and unloading cargo, cargo, and workers are shown on the surface of the station above the water surface in FIG. 2, but this is an imaginary representation of one example of various forms that can be implemented in implementing the station 200, so the station ( 200) It should be understood that the implementation and any embodiment are not intended to be limited to necessarily having the form shown in FIG. 2.

In addition, as an embodiment of the station 200 included in the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system 1000 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the station 200 is connected to the station 200 underwater. Manned and unmanned underwater vehicles (11, 22) are operated inside the tubes (310, 360), and ships are anchored above the water to board and disembark passengers or load and unload cargo, and are installed at the top or upper side of the station (200). You can also prepare a drone take-off and landing pad to operate drones for various purposes. At this time, considering the size and various conditions of the station 200 and the drone landing pad, a helipad may be provided together or used for both purposes.

As described above, when implementing the station 200, it can be used for both ships and drones rather than exclusively for manned and unmanned underwater vehicles, so that the station 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention can be used as a maritime logistics and tourism base. can do.

Figure 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the tube of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system installed underwater, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3, an embodiment in which the undersea tunnels (tubes) 31 and 360 of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system 1000, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, are installed on the sea floor is shown. there is. According to recent trends, it is also possible to install structures installed underwater on the sea floor, such as transportation systems, by being supported by floating facilities so that they can maintain a constant position underwater. However, in this regard, it should be taken into account that various technologies related to the installation, maintenance, and repair of the system are being developed.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, the undersea tunnels (tubes) 31 and 360 have two colors, with the white tube being the ascending tube 310 and the blue tube being the descending tube 360, respectively. As can be seen from the separate installation of the upper and lower tubes in this way, the tubes of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system 1000 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention are within each tube 310 and 360. It is characterized by enabling the operation of the manned and unmanned underwater vehicles (11, 22) in one direction only and enabling round-trip movement between each station by installing at least one pair of tubes (310, 360) between specific stations. Do it as

Here, setting the surface colors of the upper and lower tubes 310 and 360 to upper-white and lower-blue, respectively, only shows one embodiment, and the same color as the illustrated embodiment must be applied in other embodiments. It is important to understand that doing something does not mean forcing it. It is reasonable to determine the surface color of the tube appropriately according to various conditions related to the relevant embodiment.

In addition, in order to bind the pair of the ascending tube 310 and the descending tube 360 to each other, an upper and lower mutual binding device 377 was used, which means that the ascending tube 310 and the descending tube 360 are spaced apart from each other at a regular interval. It is intended to maintain its condition, and considering the environment of being installed underwater on the sea floor, it should be considered that it must be designed to be flexible within a certain range. In addition, a tube ground fixture 399 and a ring-shaped tube fixture 388 are installed as components for fixing the tubes 310 and 360 to the seafloor.

In addition, an emergency situation may occur for some reason in the manned or unmanned underwater vehicle (11, 22) operating on either the ascending tube (310) or the descending tube (360), and it may be necessary to escape from the tube in operation or move to the opposite tube. You can. For such inter-tube movement, there are intermediate communication passages 366 between the ascending tube 310 and the descending tube 360 that can be used by the manned and unmanned underwater vehicles 11 and 22 to move to the opposite tube in an emergency. It is good to prepare. In addition, it is desirable to provide emergency exits 369 that can be used to escape from the tubes 310 and 360 in an emergency. At this time, the opening and closing control of the emergency exit (369) is normally performed by the central control center, but in case of an emergency request from the manned and unmanned underwater vehicle (11, 22) operating inside the tube (310, 360), the control does not go through the central control center. It is possible to open and close the emergency exit 369 without doing so.

With reference to FIG. 3 , an embodiment of installing the tubes 310 and 360 on the sea floor has been described. However, it is well understood that this configuration is only one example, and that the above-described embodiment does not affect the main technical idea of the present invention, and that the technical idea of the present invention can be implemented and implemented in various forms. shall.

Figure 4 is a conceptual diagram showing how a manned and unmanned underwater vehicle is operated inside the tube of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the tunnel (tube) of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system 1000, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, is operated by manned and unmanned underwater vehicles (11, 22) inside. It can be installed inside the tubes (310, 360) at preset regular intervals and installed to enable communication with the central control center, and an underwater sign (330) and an acoustic modem (320) that are used as indicators for confirming the location of manned and unmanned underwater vehicles. ) is installed.

Here, the insides of the tubes 310 and 360 are filled with water, which is different from high-speed railways using tubes such as hyperloop, which must maintain the inside of the tubes in a subvacuum or vacuum. Since the inside of the tubes 310 and 360 of the Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system 1000 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is filled with water, not only is the construction cost not excessive during initial installation, There is no need to seriously guard against flooding into the tubes 310 and 360, and there is almost no pressure difference between the inside and outside of the tubes 310 and 360, which has the advantage that maintenance costs can also be significantly reduced.

In this way, the underwater sign 330 and the acoustic modem 320 are installed at regular intervals inside the tubes 310 and 360, enable communication with the central control center, and give each underwater sign 330 an identification number according to its location. By doing so, the central control center can easily identify the number of manned and unmanned underwater vehicles (11, 22) currently in operation and the current location of each manned and unmanned underwater vehicle (11, 22).

In addition, the controller included in each of the unmanned and unmanned underwater vehicles 11 and 22 can determine its own location. Accordingly, the central control and self-control of the manned and unmanned underwater vehicles 11 and 22 currently in operation becomes easier, resulting in the advantage of making it easier to establish an operation plan.

Meanwhile, the specification and drawings disclose preferred embodiments of the present invention, and although specific terms are used, they are used in a general sense to easily explain the technical content of the present invention and aid understanding of the present invention. It is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein, other modifications based on the technical idea of the present invention can be implemented.

11: Manned and unmanned underwater vehicle - first embodiment
22: Manned and unmanned underwater vehicle - second embodiment
200: station
210: Ascending tube joint
260: Descending tube joint
300: Underwater tube part
310: Ascending tube
320: Acoustic modem
330: Underwater sign
360: descending tube
377: Up and down mutual binding sphere
388: Ring-type tube fixture
399: Tube ground fixing part
1000: Aqua Loop - undersea transportation system based on manned and unmanned underwater vehicle

Claims (5)

An unmanned and unmanned underwater vehicle that can carry passengers and cargo and move underwater;
A tube installed underwater and within which the manned or unmanned underwater vehicle can move;
A station including facilities for passengers to board and disembark the manned and unmanned underwater vehicle or to load and unload cargo; and
It includes a central control station that remotely controls and monitors the movement of the manned and unmanned underwater vehicle,
The end of the tube is coupled to a tube coupling installed toward the outside of the station,
Aqualoop-an undersea transportation system based on an unmanned and unmanned underwater vehicle, characterized in that the inside of the tube is filled with water.
According to clause 1,
Navigation of the manned and unmanned underwater vehicle within the tube is possible only in one direction,
By installing at least one pair of tubes between specific stations
Aqua Loop-an undersea transportation system based on a manned and unmanned underwater vehicle, characterized by enabling round-trip movement between each station.
According to clause 1,
Inside the tube,
Aqua Loop - unmanned and unmanned underwater vehicle, which is installed at preset regular intervals and is installed to enable communication with the central control center, and is equipped with an underwater sign and an acoustic modem that are used as indicators for confirming the location of the manned and unmanned underwater vehicle. Based submarine transportation system.
According to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The station is,
At the same time as providing anchorage facilities that allow ships to dock on the water,
An Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system, characterized by including boarding and disembarking facilities for passengers to board and disembark or load and unload cargo.
According to clause 4,
The station is,
An Aqua Loop-manned and unmanned underwater vehicle-based undersea transportation system, characterized in that a drone take-off and landing pad is installed on or above the anchoring facility or the embarkation and disembarkation facility.