KR20200028592A - Collision avoiding system - Google Patents

Abstract

Provided is a collision avoiding system. The collision avoiding system includes: a marine facility moored to the sea and performing operations; and a tug coupled to a target ship entering a sailing prohibition section set around the marine facility and guiding the target ship to the outside of the sailing prohibition section.

Description

Collision avoiding system

The present invention relates to a collision avoidance system.

Offshore facilities can be installed offshore to drill crude oil or to produce gas. The installation method of offshore facilities may be fixed or floating. The offshore facility may be fixed at a specific point on the sea by a pile fixed to the seabed, or may perform operations such as oil extraction and gas production while moored at a specific point on the sea by a mooring device.

On the other hand, a ship moving around the point where the marine equipment is installed may approach the marine equipment for reasons such as failure. Accordingly, in order to prevent collision between the marine equipment and the ship, the marine equipment may be equipped with equipment for transmitting a warning broadcast.

Republic of Korea Registered Patent Publication No. 10-1224909 (2013.01.22)

The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a collision avoidance system.

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

In order to achieve the above object, one aspect of the collision avoidance system of the present invention (aspect) is coupled to a target vessel that enters a maritime facility moored on the sea to perform the operation, and a target forbidden zone set around the marine facility And a towed vessel that guides the target vessel outside the forbidden area.

The marine equipment sends an alert when the target ship moves toward the forbidden area, and sends a dispatch control command to the towed ship when the target ship enters the forbidden area.

The towing vessel moves to the target vessel according to the dispatch control command to guide the target vessel out of the navigation prohibited area.

The towing vessel is coupled to the hull, a communication unit for receiving the target ship's position, a coupling unit provided in the hull, and coupled to the target ship in operation at the received position, and a propulsion force to be coupled to the coupling unit It includes a propulsion unit for moving the target ship.

The coupling portion, coupled to the target vessel by magnetic force or vacuum adsorption force, the distance to the hull is adjusted.

The propulsion unit includes a main propeller that generates a propulsion force for moving the hull in one direction, and an auxiliary propeller that generates a propulsion force for moving the hull in a plurality of different directions.

The towing vessel further includes a control unit that controls the operation of the coupling unit and the propulsion unit.

Specific details of other embodiments are included in the detailed description and drawings.

1 is a view showing a collision avoidance system according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a block diagram of an offshore installation according to an embodiment of the present invention.
3 is a view showing a towing vessel according to an embodiment of the present invention.
4 is a view showing the operation of the coupling portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.
5 to 9 are views showing that a towing vessel guides a target vessel according to an embodiment of the present invention.
10 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating an offshore installation according to an embodiment of the present invention.
11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of a towing vessel 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. Advantages and features of the present invention, and methods for achieving them will be clarified with reference to embodiments described below in detail together with the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed below, but may be implemented in various different forms, and only the embodiments allow the publication of the present invention to be complete, and common knowledge in the technical field to which the present invention pertains. It is provided to fully inform the holder of the scope of the invention, and the invention is only defined by the scope of the claims. The same reference numerals refer to the same components throughout the specification.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used in the present specification may be used as meanings commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. In addition, terms defined in the commonly used dictionary are not ideally or excessively interpreted unless specifically defined.

1 is a view showing a collision avoidance system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to Figure 1, the collision avoidance system 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention is configured to include a marine installation 100 and the towing vessel 200.

The offshore installation 100 can perform certain operations at sea. For example, the offshore installation 100 may be drilling crude oil or producing gas while moored at sea. To this end, the offshore installation 100 can be moored on the sea in a fixed or floating manner.

The moored marine facility 100 may not be easy to move on the sea. Therefore, when another ship operating at sea moves toward the marine facility 100, the marine facility 100 cannot actively avoid collision with the corresponding ship. When a ship in operation collides with the marine facility 100, large-scale damage may occur. Accordingly, the navigation prohibition area RA may be set around the marine facility 100. In the present invention, the navigation prohibited area (RA) represents an area in which entry of an external ship, such as a ship operating around the marine facilities 100, is controlled.

The offshore installation 100 and the towing vessel 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention can prevent an external vessel from entering the navigation prohibited area RA. To this end, the offshore facility 100 may monitor the surrounding waters and control the operation of the towing vessel 200. The towing vessel 200 may guide the external vessel away from the navigation prohibition area RA by approaching the external vessel under the control of the offshore installation 100.

Hereinafter, the detailed configuration and operation of the offshore installation 100 and the towing vessel 200 will be described in detail.

2 is a block diagram of an offshore installation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, the offshore facility 100 includes a monitoring unit 110, a route calculating unit 120, a storage unit 130, a control unit 140, and a communication unit 150.

The monitoring unit 110 serves to monitor the surrounding waters. Specifically, the monitoring unit 110 may monitor the ship operating in the surrounding waters to confirm the location of the vessel. For example, the monitoring unit 110 may receive the reflected wave of the transmitted sound wave to check the location of the external vessel, or use the signal containing the location information sent from the external vessel to confirm the location of the external vessel. Hereinafter, the external vessel sensed by the monitoring unit 110 is referred to as a target vessel. In the present invention, the target ship is a vessel that temporarily enters the forbidden navigation area (RA) and has a possibility of collision with the offshore installation (100).

The route calculating unit 120 serves to calculate the moving route of the corresponding ship using the position of the target ship identified by the monitoring unit 110. Using the location according to the time zone, the route calculating unit 120 may check in which direction the corresponding ship is moving.

The storage unit 130 serves to permanently or temporarily store the information generated by the monitoring unit 110, the path calculating unit 120, and the control unit 140.

The control unit 140 may perform a collision avoidance control operation by referring to the moving path of the ship calculated by the path calculation unit 120. For example, when the target vessel is facing the forbidden area RA, the control unit 140 may transmit an alert to the corresponding vessel. In addition, when the target ship enters the navigation prohibited area RA, the control unit 140 may transmit a dispatch control command to the towed ship 200. In addition, the control unit 140 may continuously provide information for towing of the target vessel to the towing vessel 200 dispatched. For example, the controller 140 may continuously provide the position of the target vessel to the towing vessel 200.

The alarm transmission to the target vessel, the command to control the dispatch to the towing vessel 200, and the information for towing may be transmitted through the communication unit 150.

3 is a view showing a towing vessel according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figure 4 is a view showing the operation of the coupling portion according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 and 4, the towing vessel 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention is a hull 210, an alarm generating unit 220, a communication unit 230, a coupling unit 240, a propulsion unit 250 And a control unit 260.

The alarm generator 220 serves to generate an alarm in the target vessel. Alarms can include visual and audible alarms. For example, the alarm generator 220 may be provided with a light to illuminate the light or generate an alarm sound with a speaker. In the present invention, the target vessel refers to a vessel approaching a non-navigation zone (RA) beyond a predetermined route. The alarm generator 220 may serve to switch the route of the vessel itself by sending an alarm to the vessel.

The communication unit 230 serves to receive the location of the target vessel from the offshore installation 100. To this end, the communication unit 230 may continuously maintain a communication channel with the marine facility 100. When a vessel approaching the navigation prohibited area RA occurs, the marine facility 100 may transmit the location of the vessel to the communication unit 230.

The coupling unit 240 is provided on the hull 210 and serves to couple to a target vessel in operation at a location received through the communication unit 230. In the present invention, the coupling portion 240 may be coupled to the target vessel by magnetic force or vacuum adsorption force.

The fact that the target vessel is approaching the non-navigation area (RA) may indicate that the operation of the vessel is not properly performed and some problems have occurred. If there is a problem with the target vessel, it may be difficult to obtain the right to operate the target vessel. If the right to operate is not obtained, it may not be easy to perform a combination for towing while the target ship is stopped.

The coupling portion 240 may be coupled to the target vessel by magnetic force or vacuum adsorption force. Accordingly, the magnetic force can be easily coupled to the target ship even when the operating right of the target ship is not obtained.

Referring to FIG. 4, the distance to the hull 210 of the coupling portion 240 may be adjusted. Coupling portion 240 is disposed to protrude from the side of the hull 210, the distance between the side of the hull 210 and the coupling portion 240 can be adjusted.

When the distance between the target ship and the ship 200, which is an example of the present invention, is too small, damage to each other may occur as both ships collide. The ship 200, which is an example of the present invention, may perform coupling by deploying the coupling unit 240 to the target ship after approaching the target ship. To this end, the connecting portion connecting the coupling portion 240 and the hull 210 may be automatically adjusted in length.

The propulsion unit 250 generates a propulsive force and serves to move the target vessel coupled to the coupling portion 240. The propulsion unit 250 may include a main propeller 251 and an auxiliary propeller 252.

The main propeller 251 serves to generate a propulsive force for moving the hull 210 in one direction. The main propeller 251 may generate propulsive force for moving the hull 210 in the longitudinal direction of the hull 210. The engine and propeller provided in the stern may serve as the main propeller 251.

The auxiliary propeller 252 serves to generate a propulsive force for moving the hull 210 in a plurality of different directions. Regardless of the arrangement of the hull 210, the auxiliary propeller 252 may exert a driving force on the hull 210 as the direction is changed. For example, an azimuth thruster may serve as the auxiliary thruster 252.

The control unit 260 may perform overall control of the alarm generating unit 220, the communication unit 230, the combining unit 240, and the pushing unit 250. For example, the alarm generator 220 may transmit an alarm according to a control command of the controller 260. In particular, the control unit 260 may perform control of the coupling unit 240 and the pushing unit 250.

Coupling unit 240 may be deployed in the hull 210 according to the control command of the control unit 260 to be coupled to the target vessel, the propulsion unit 250 in accordance with the control command of the control unit 260 in the propulsion and propulsion direction Can be adjusted. In particular, the control unit 260 may control the propulsion unit 250 such that the hull 210 moves at the same speed adjacent to the target vessel. To this end, the control unit 260 may use the moving direction and moving speed of the target vessel. When the relative speed of the target vessel and the hull 210 is close to 0, the coupling unit 240 may perform coupling with the target vessel.

Hereinafter, functions of the ship 200 that is an example of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 5 to 9.

5 to 9 are views showing that a towing vessel guides a target vessel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the target ship 300 may access the forbidden area RA by deviating from a predetermined route (hereinafter, referred to as a scheduled route) 310.

When the target vessel 300 approaches the forbidden navigation area RA beyond the predetermined path 310, the marine facility 100 may detect the target vessel 300.

As a ship approaching the navigation prohibited area RA is generated, the marine facility 100 may check the route of the target vessel 300. Thus, when it is determined that the target vessel 300 moves toward the marine equipment 100, the marine equipment 100 may transmit an alert to the target vessel 300.

When the movement path of the target vessel 300 is switched as the alarm is transmitted and the distance from the forbidden navigation area RA is shifted, the marine facility 100 may stop transmitting the alarm and monitor the surrounding waters.

Meanwhile, as illustrated in FIG. 6, when the target vessel 300 continues to move and enters the navigation prohibition area RA despite the transmission of an alarm, the marine facility 100 is dispatched to the towing vessel 200 Commands can be sent. At this time, the offshore installation 100 may transmit the position of the target vessel 300 to the towing vessel 200. The offshore installation 100 may transmit not only the absolute coordinates of the target vessel 300 but also the moving direction and speed of the target vessel 300 to the towing vessel 200. At this time, the towing vessel 200 may be disposed adjacent to the marine installation 100 or may be disposed around the forbidden area RA.

Referring to FIG. 7, an example vessel 200 that has received the location of the target vessel 300 may move to the target vessel 300.

An example vessel 200 adjacent to the target vessel 300 may transmit an alarm to the target vessel 300 using the alarm generator 220. That is, the light can be lit or an alarm sound can be generated. When the target vessel 300 switches the scheduled path 310 due to the occurrence of an alarm, the towed vessel 200 may return to the marine facility 100.

On the other hand, in spite of the alarm transmission, when the target vessel 300 continuously moves toward the navigation prohibited area RA, the towed vessel 200 may perform a combination with the target vessel 300.

Referring to FIG. 8, the towing vessel 200 may be coupled to the target vessel 300. The towing vessel 200 may move in the same direction as the target vessel 300 after approaching the target vessel 300 to reduce the relative speed and be coupled to the target vessel 300. At this time, the control unit 260 may operate the main thruster 251 and the auxiliary thruster 252 as appropriate to approach the target ship 300 and reduce relative speed.

The coupling between the target vessel 300 and the towing vessel 200 may be performed firmly because the coupling portion 240 combines with the magnetic force or the vacuum adsorption force.

Referring to FIG. 9, the towed vessel 200 may guide the target vessel 300 to the predetermined path 310 of the target vessel 300.

The towing vessel 200 may guide the target vessel 300 by properly operating the main propeller 251 and the auxiliary propeller 252. Since the target vessel 300 is coupled to the side of the towed vessel 200, and the self-propelling force of the target vessel 300 is generated, it may not be possible to correctly guide the target vessel 300 with only the propulsion force of the main propeller 251. have. Accordingly, the controller 260 operates the auxiliary propeller 252 in consideration of the propulsive force of the main propeller 251 and the propulsive force of the target vessel 300 to control the moving direction of the combination of the towing vessel 200 and the target vessel 300. Can decide.

When the target vessel 300 enters the scheduled path 310 or moves in the direction of the scheduled path 310, the towed vessel 200 releases the coupling with the target vessel 300 and returns to the marine facility 100. You can return.

As described above, since the towed ship 200 guides the target vessel 300 without a separate user intervention, collision between the marine facility 100 and the target vessel 300 can be basically prevented.

10 is a flowchart illustrating a method of operating an offshore installation according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The monitoring unit 110 of the marine facility 100 may perform monitoring for the surrounding waters. Thus, when a vessel sailing around is detected, the monitoring unit 110 may check the location of the corresponding vessel and transmit it to the route calculating unit 120.

The route calculator 120 may check the route of the corresponding ship using the received location and transmit it to the controller 140.

The control unit 140 may use the received route to check whether the corresponding vessel is heading for the prohibited navigation area RA. Thus, if it is determined that the vessel is not heading to the forbidden area RA, the controller 140 may not perform a subsequent operation for the vessel.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the vessel is facing the navigation prohibited area (RA), the controller 140 may transmit a warning broadcast to the vessel, that is, the target vessel. The warning broadcast may be performed until the target vessel's movement path is not directed to the forbidden area RA. Thus, when it is determined that the target ship changes the course and operates to move away from the navigation prohibited area RA, the control unit 140 may stop transmitting the warning broadcast and do not perform subsequent operations on the target ship.

On the other hand, if the target vessel has not changed the course, the control unit 140 may check whether the target vessel has entered the navigation prohibition area (RA) while transmitting a warning broadcast. Thus, if it is determined that the target ship has not entered the navigation prohibited area RA, the controller 140 may not perform an operation according to the entry.

Meanwhile, when the target ship enters the forbidden area RA, the control unit 140 may transmit a dispatch control command to the towed ship 200. At this time, the control unit 140 may continuously transmit towing vessel 200 towing information necessary for towing, such as the location or movement path of the target vessel.

11 is a flowchart illustrating an operation method of a towing vessel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The towing vessel 200 may receive a dispatch control command from the offshore installation 100. The towing information including the position of the target ship may be received together with the dispatch control command. Through this, the towing ship 200 may check the location of the target ship.

Subsequently, the towing vessel 200 may move to the identified location. The towing information may include the route of movement of the target vessel. Accordingly, the towing vessel 200 may move to a path capable of reaching the target vessel within the shortest time with reference to its own movement speed and the movement path of the target vessel.

When the target ship is reached, the towed ship 200 may send an alert to the target ship. That is, the towing vessel 200 is capable of transmitting visual and audible alerts.

After sending the alarm, the towing vessel 200 may check whether the route of the target vessel is maintained. Thus, when the path of the target vessel is changed and moves away from the forbidden navigation area RA, the towed ship 200 may return to the marine facility 100.

On the other hand, if the path of the target vessel is maintained and headed to the navigation prohibited area RA, the towed vessel 200 may calculate coupling information with the target vessel. In the present invention, the combined information can be understood to be information for maintaining a state close to the target ship while reducing the relative speed with the target ship as much as possible.

The target ship's position, movement path, and movement speed can be used to calculate the combined information.

Using the calculated combined information, the towing vessel 200 maintains a speed similar to that of the target vessel, and may move to the target vessel while moving in close proximity.

When the combination with the target vessel is completed, the towing vessel 200 may towed the target vessel. That is, the towing vessel 200 is to change the direction of its progress so that the target vessel moves away from the navigation prohibited area RA. If it is determined that the progress path of the target vessel has been sufficiently switched, the towing vessel 200 may release the coupling with the target vessel and return to the offshore facility 100.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the above and the accompanying drawings, those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention pertains can implement the present invention in other specific forms without changing its technical spirit or essential features. You will understand that there is. Therefore, it should be understood that the embodiments described above are illustrative in all respects and not restrictive.

10: collision avoidance system 100: offshore equipment
110: monitoring unit 120: path calculation unit
130: storage unit 140: control unit
150: communication unit 200: towed ship
210: hull 220: alarm generating unit
230: communication unit 240: coupling unit
250: propulsion unit 251: main propeller
252: auxiliary propeller 260: control
300: target ship 310: planned route
RA: No-navigation zone

Claims (7)

Offshore installations moored at sea to perform work; And
Collision avoidance system comprising a towing vessel that guides the target vessel to the outside of the navigation prohibited zone coupled to a target vessel entering the navigation prohibited zone set around the marine equipment. According to claim 1,
The marine equipment,
Send an alert when the target vessel moves toward the forbidden area,
A collision avoidance system that transmits a dispatch control command to the towing vessel when the target vessel enters the forbidden navigation area. According to claim 2,
The towed ship moves to the target ship according to the dispatch control command, and the collision avoidance system guides the target ship out of the navigation prohibited area. According to claim 1,
The towing vessel,
hull;
Communication unit for receiving the position of the target vessel;
A coupling unit provided in the hull and coupled to the target vessel in operation at the received position; And
A collision avoidance system including a propulsion unit that generates a propulsion force to move a target vessel coupled to the engagement portion. The method of claim 4,
The coupling portion,
Combined with the target vessel by magnetic force or vacuum adsorption force,
Collision avoidance system in which the distance to the hull is adjusted. The method of claim 4,
The propulsion unit,
A main propeller generating propulsive force for moving the hull in one direction; And
Collision avoidance system comprising an auxiliary thruster for generating a driving force for moving the hull in a plurality of different directions. The method of claim 4,
The towing vessel collision avoidance system further comprises a control unit for controlling the operation of the engaging portion and the pushing portion.

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