RU2143370C1 - Device for jettisoning cargo from distressed tank ships and method of jettisoning - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: water transport facilities. SUBSTANCE: provision is made for holes in ship's hull and hose connections. Two-chamber flexible hoses with painters wound on drums are arranged between ship's sides and cargo tanks. Ship is provided with hose supply mechanism with self-contained power supply source and air cushion. Hatch covers are provided at these areas. After opening the side, hoses are jettisoned into sea and are delivered to surface of water where they are connected to reservoirs. All commands are executed by telecontrol signals. EFFECT: possibility of jettisoning cargo with no personnel, mooring of auxiliary vessels to distressed ship or approach of auxiliary tank ships and appliances. 9 cl, 5 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to the field of technology of water vehicles, in particular the corresponding equipment, namely, the device and method for emergency emptying of bulk vessels in the event of a distress at sea, and openings and hose connections are provided on board the vessel near the cargo tanks of the vessel, which ensure the discharge of the transported cargo in case of distress hazardous liquids, in particular crude oil, fuels, chemicals - from a bulk vessel in distress.

It is well known that according to the known state of knowledge and the level of technology in emergency discharges, at least one of the following prerequisites must be fulfilled:
- a ship in distress should be at least maneuverable.

- the crew must be present on the vessel to carry out the necessary activities;
- the vessel must have drive energy for the units existing on the vessel, for example, pumps, boring tools, crane booms or equipment, winches, as well as the specified equipment in operable condition after an accident.

 For emergency emptying of bulk vessels with a reduced risk of explosion, the description of DE G 90 19 090.5 U1 discloses a device for boring the walls of bulk vessels. To do this, it is necessary that an auxiliary bulk vessel of similar capacity moor to the side of the ship in distress, creating, with the help of buffers and struts, as well as the corresponding fastening, a double convoy. Boring is very time-consuming, especially considering the limited time available for such accidents and often playing a decisive role, since conditions are set that are not feasible on the basis of such a technical solution. In addition, the opportunity to create such a composition of two vessels will be very rare, since the injured vessel in all likelihood will not have the necessary stability. In the event of a complete failure of the energy sources of the injured vessel, the filling of powerful hoses will be impossible, even if it is possible to create a hose connection between both vessels.

 DE OS 2916489 A1 discloses a device for receiving oil for discharging bulk vessels in distress, involving the use of multiple hoses with the same number of filling pipelines and holding cables or tow cables placed along the sides, as well as a filling unit. On specially designed slips for this purpose on the ship deck, hoses should be placed together with the corresponding filling pipelines and holding cables rolled into coils. In the event of an accident, the hoses must be deployed, discharged into the water and filled with oil. In addition to the large time required to pump the required quantities of oil into deployable hoses, a lot of space is required to place equipment on the deck. Also, in the event of a complete failure of energy sources during an accident, such a technical solution will not be operational.

 DE OS 3026836 A1 discloses a device for handling liquid cargo on and off bulk vessels, operating with flexible hoses and made in the form of a fixed installation located on land.

 Such technical solutions, also described in DE G 7803631 U1, are not suitable for emptying bulk carriers in the event of an accident at sea.

 DE OS 3725307 A1 offers a jacket for rigid pipes or flexibly connected sections of rigid pipes. However, it concerns hard subsea oil pipelines and is intended to ensure their survivability.

 The closest analogue of the claimed invention is a technical solution known from British patent N 1434568, 63 V 37 / 34.1976.

 The emergency discharging device for bulk cargoes in distress according to patent N 1434563 contains hoses made with seals at the ends for removal of transported liquid cargo from cargo tanks of the vessel and drives for moving these hoses.

 The emergency discharging method of bulk cargo vessels in distress, according to patent N 1434563, includes supplying hoses with fails at the ends from the vessel to the sea and discharge of the transported liquid cargo through them.

 However, such a technical solution requires people to board the vessel and / or mooring to the side of the injured vessel, etc.

 The basis of the invention was the creation of a device and the development of a method that provides emergency emptying of a bulk vessel in distress in any position, eliminating the need for people to board the vessel and / or mooring to the side of the injured vessel or approaching any kind of auxiliary bulk vessels, liferafts and devices.

 This problem is solved in accordance with the following.

 All cargo tanks of the oil transportation vessel are equipped with gas cylinders and interconnected. In the connecting piping installed valves with remote control. On each side of the vessel, a hatch is provided for each cargo tank, normally sealed by a hatch, equipped with a radio-controlled unlocking bolt and an eccentric hinge. In the hold between cargo tanks and hatch covers, if necessary, hoses are also placed between the tanks themselves, wound on drums or zigzagged, rigidly attached one at a time to individual tanks and equipped with a connecting device, a drive for feeding the hose and an air cushion at the other end of the hose and a phalin, laid parallel to the hose along its entire length. Optionally, the Falini can be separately wound on drums. All valve actuators, hatcher unlocking devices, and hose and fan drives are permanently connected to external power sources independent of each other, and in normal operation of the vessel they are constantly maintained in a state of full charge. Each individual function of various drive mechanisms is assigned a one-time, special code radio frequency. A parallel wire line passing to the central receiving station on the vessel is provided for transmitting all radio commands to individual drives. On a bulk vessel, ship boats are provided, equipped with winches, pumps, compressors, as emergency and liferafts and inflatable, elastic and rigidly anchored and pontoon tanks and cylinders ventilated upward. The tanks are equipped with heating devices, preferably induction, using the well-known action of electromagnetic waves of the high frequency range - microwaves, and powered by rechargeable batteries or generators. Thus, the transported cargo in a relatively short period of time is brought into a condition convenient for transportation. Pipeline valves for connecting to reservoirs and radio-controlled unlocking bolts mounted on hatches are equipped with electro-mechanical, electro-pneumatic, electro-hydraulic and / or pyrotechnic actuators. The hoses consist of flexible material expanding in volume and diameter, made two-chamber with a fabric, braid, wire mesh in the inner chambers for microwave heating of the transported cargo in order to maintain its transportability and have a length of about 300 m. On both shells of the hoses are applied outward and inward heat-reflecting and heat-insulating layers, which also serve to maintain the transportability of the cargo. Falini hoses also have a length of 300 mi made of high-strength material, preferably nylon, or represent a thin steel cable. At the ends of the Faline, shells with a gas cartridge drive and an air cushion with remote control are installed. The external power sources for the valve drive mechanisms and hatches release devices are batteries or gas cartridges, and in the case of battery power, the drive mechanisms themselves and the radio signal receivers on the drive mechanisms are connected by a separate wire connection.

 According to the proposed method, the problem is solved in such a way that the hatches are opened, placed in the most suitable place for the intended purpose, by means of a radio signal, and the unlocking bolt is controlled by a hatch-unlocking device. The hoses, together with the hinges or only the halyards, are reeled up after opening the hatches also by means of a radio signal with the help of hose drive mechanisms or a gas cartridge from the drum and are discharged into the open sea. When a sufficient distance is reached from the ship’s hull by re-applying the radio signal, the air bags at the end of the hose and / or throat are filled with gas, so that the ends of the hoses with couplings or only the throat are brought to the surface of the water. Hoses with the help of emergency responders from the auxiliary bulk vessel, from the auxiliary platform or raft, or from any other auxiliary device are taken and connected to tanks or intermediate storage facilities, such as pontoons or cylinders, if the tanks are temporarily not available. Two-chamber hoses with the help of compressors available on emergency rescue equipment in the outer chamber are filled with compressed air and brought to a predetermined pressure. By means of a further radio signal, the valves in the pipelines are opened by means of drive mechanisms, thus ensuring optimal emptying of the connected tanks in accordance with the position of the distressed bulk vessel. Compressors installed on emergency rescue equipment pump compressed air through the outer hose chambers into tanks or, alternatively, gas cylinders installed on the tank supply gas to tanks, which, in turn, interact with three-way valves and pumps installed on emergency life-saving appliances, displace the heated medium contained in the tanks through the inner chambers of the hoses in the rescue tanks or intermediate storage. During the evacuation process, the immersion depth of the hoses is adjusted by choosing the appropriate ratio between the gravity of the inner hose chambers filled with the medium pumped out from the tank and the support force of the outer hose chambers filled and purged with compressed air, depending on the sea waves and the pumped medium as a result of microwave heating maintained at the appropriate temperature level.

 The solution according to the invention has the following advantages.

 On a bulk ship in distress, power and energy systems often fail. In connection with the constant maintenance of the power supplies of the explosive devices and drive mechanisms of the invention according to the invention in a charged state and with the presence of electronic devices, radio-controlled manipulation of the bulk vessel and bringing the connecting and overflow systems from the patient bulk vessel to the rescue installation, which can easily be there, are possible accepted, connected and used for pumping from a bulk vessel, including stabilization during pumping. This makes it possible to proceed with the rescue of the vessel, primarily of dangerous liquid cargo, without waiting for the delivery of individuals, crews or equipment to the ship in distress. With reduced risk for rescue personnel, labor costs are reduced. First of all, the ecological effect is significant, since the proposed invention largely excludes the possibility of damage to the environment, especially due to oil pollution of water bodies or harmful effects on vegetation and in the animal world. In addition, the load is saved, which means that natural resources are better used or spared. Measures related to significant costs for neutralization at sea and on shore, as well as in the animal world, disappear. The consequence is also a significant reduction in costs due to the elimination of the need for compensation of damage by insurers, which in turn should lead to a reduction in insurance premiums and thereby reduce the cost of shipowners. The consequence of this may be a reduction in transportation costs. In most cases, you can also count on the salvation of the vessel as a result of targeted unloading and movement of cargo, i.e. increase its stability. The reuse of the systems and the reduction of the cost of restoring the operational ability of the bulk vessel are ensured. No damage to the vessel occurs as a result of large-sized boring of the sides, recommended, for example, according to the well-known description.

The following description is illustrated by a description of a specific example of its implementation and the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a side view of a bulk vessel (it, in particular, shows the placement of hatches with covers in relation to the position of the cargo tanks and the keel line, the location of the connecting pipelines between the tanks, as well as the location of the drive mechanisms of the valves and hoses);
FIG. 2 - the individual constituent elements of the proposed device in the horizontal projection of the bulk vessel;
FIG. 3 - in particular, a hatch arranged on board a vessel in a closed state with a shell and an air bag, a hose drive mechanism and a hose package;
FIG. 4 - open hatch with unlocking in working condition.

 FIG. 5 is a view A of FIG. 4.

 The device for emergency dumping of bulk vessels in distress contains hoses 12 made with the seafloor 16 at the ends for removing the transported liquid cargo from the cargo tanks 1 of the vessel 2 and the drives 14 for moving these hoses 12. The device is equipped with one on each side 5 of the vessel 2 each of the cargo tank 1 with hatches 8 with hermetic covers 7 on eccentric hinges 10 equipped with radio remote control unlocking bolts 9 of the devices 18 for unlocking the hatches 8 mounted on cargo tanks 1 with the possibility of dealing with them with gas cylinders 27, equipped with remote-controlled valves 4, connecting pipelines 3 communicating with each other cargo tanks 1, located on the vessel 2 with dumpable inflatable elastic rigidly fixed on anchors and deaerated pontoons 23 or cylinders 27, as well as located on ship catapult rescue boats with compressors and winches. Each of these hoses 12 is rigidly attached at one end to the corresponding cargo tank 1, located in the hold 11 of the vessel 2, wound on a drum or laid in a zigzag fashion between this tank 1 and the corresponding hatch 8 and is made of two-chamber made of elastic material with the possibility of air supply to the specified compressor on the outside the chamber into the cargo tank 1, and at the second end of this hose 12 a sleeve 13 is made for connection to the said pontoon 23 or balloon 27, and an air cushion 26, and the feline 16 is laid in parallel with the hose m 12 along its entire length or wound on a separate drum and connected at its end to a projectile driven by a gas cartridge, as well as to an air cushion 26 triggered by radio remote control. All drive mechanisms 17 of the valves 3 of the connecting piping 3, the device 18 unlocking the hatches 8 and the drive mechanisms 14 of the hoses 12 are connected to independent from each other external power supplies that are constantly maintained during normal operation of the vessel 2 in a fully charged state, as well as parallel installed on the vessel 2 by wiring 20 they are connected to the receiving station 21 for transmitting all the radio signals to these drives, the individual functions of which are assigned single-use separate coded frequencies.

 The device is made with heating devices, which are equipped with cargo tanks of the vessel, moreover, these devices are made mainly of induction heating, generating microwaves using electromagnetic waves in the high frequency range, and are connected with storage batteries or generators.

 The drive mechanisms 17 of these valves 4 connecting piping 3 and radio remote control unlocking bolts 9 are made in the form of electromechanical, electro-hydraulic, electro-pneumatic and / or pyrotechnic actuators or explosive devices or mechanisms.

 Hoses 12 are about 300 m long.

 The inner chambers of the hoses 12 are reinforced with a wire cloth or braid or network to be applied to it via an appropriate voltage connection for generating microwaves.

 Both shells of the two-chamber hoses 12 are coated externally and internally with a heat-reflecting / insulating layer.

 Falini 16 hoses 12 are made with a length of about 300 m from high-strength material, mainly nylon, or a thin steel cable.

 The drive mechanisms 14 of the hoses 12 are made in the form of gas cartridges, and external power supplies for the drive mechanisms of the 17 valves 4 of the connecting pipes 3 and the hatcher unlocking devices 18 are made in the form of rechargeable batteries with which the drives and radios on the drives are connected via a separate wire line.

 The method of emergency dumping of cargo in distressed vessels involves feeding hoses 12 from the vessel 2 to the sea with 16 fails at the ends and discharge of the transported liquid cargo through them. Before the hoses 12, made by two chambers, are fed into the sea, the hatch 8 made in the sides 5 is opened with the aid of the device 18 for unlocking them, and the hoses 12 are fed into the open sea by their drive mechanisms 14 by applying a radio signal to these mechanisms or by the failsini 16 fed into the open the sea with gas cartridges at their ends, by applying a radio signal to the latter, and air cushions 26 raised to the surface, inflated after the radio signal is supplied, when a sufficient distance from the vessel 2 is reached. After feeding the ends of the hoses 12 to a sufficient distance from the vessel 2, these ends rise to the surface with air cushions 26 mounted on them, inflated by radio signal, or falines 16, and are taken with the help of the falina 16 onto lifeboats ejected from the vessel 2, and then the hoses 12 are connected , with couplings at their ends to the inflatable pontoons 23 or cylinders 24 dropped from the vessel 2 and their external chambers are pumped with compressed air supplied by compressors installed on lifeboats to a given diameter and after opening by supplying a radio signal to the drive mechanisms located in the connecting pipelines 1 connecting the cargo tanks 3 valves 4, providing optimal emptying in accordance with the position of the bulk vessel 2, carry out the removal of liquid cargo from the cargo tanks 1 to the indicated pontoons 23 or cylinders 27 through the inner chambers of the hoses 12 by displacing this liquid cargo from cargo tanks 1 by supplying compressed air hoses 12 to the latter along the outer chambers 12 or by supplying gas from those installed on the corresponding cargo tanks 1 of gas cylinders 27, while in the process of discharge of liquid cargo, the immersion depth of each hose 12 in water is adjusted depending on the excitement by changing the ratio between the gravity of the inner chamber of the hose 12 with the flowing medium and the lifting force of the outer chamber of the hose 12, filled and blown compressed air.

 The principle of operation is as follows.

A bulk vessel of any tonnage is in distress near the shore, flew into pitfalls near the reserve and lost its maneuverability. On the ship as a result of the accident, most of the crew and the entire power plant were out of order. In addition, a limited fire broke out on the deck, which cannot be suppressed by regular means of the vessel. The crew is forced to leave the ship. When a sufficient distance from the vessel is reached by one of the crew members who remains operational and has the right to do so, the means proposed according to the invention by means of a code radio command are as follows:
One or more hatches 8 are unlocked with a bolt 9 and, under the influence of gravity, move down around the eccentric hinge at a given center of gravity 10. After filling the prechamber, a projectile 25 is fired into the open sea, dragging the falsin 16. After reaching the specified distance, the shell air cushion 26. Falin 16 is taken by the crew. At the same time, pontoons 23 catapulted overboard are anchored. Together with the falin 16, a two-chamber hose 12 is taken by winch and / or muscle strength, which, if necessary, can also be fed from the vessel 2 into the open sea to the surface of the water 6 using own drive device 14, and is connected by its clutch 13 to the pontoons 23. Also, by applying radio signals, the corresponding valves 4 and, if necessary, gas cylinders 27 are opened. Compressed gas expanding in the selected and preheated with microwave exposure to tanks 1 and pumped, if necessary, through the outer chamber of the two-chamber hose 12 towards the bulk vessel, or exothermically reacting gas displaces the medium contained in the tanks 1 through two-chamber hoses 12 up to the pontoon 23, and flowing in the inner chamber of the two-chamber hose 12, the medium is well protected against heat removal to the outside and, if necessary, is constantly heated by microwave heating, i.e. the medium contained in tank 1 is discharged almost by gravity. If necessary, the medium contained in the tanks 1, also by the supply of radio signals, through the pipeline system between the individual tanks is poured by opening its gas cylinders into previously empty tanks and from there it is diverted from the bulk vessel 2. It goes without saying that several tanks can be emptied simultaneously using their means emergency emptying, if the situation allows it.

 First of all, the most exposed tank is emptied. Any operations of the proposed method with the remaining empty tanks can subsequently be re-performed by arriving emergency rescue teams. All necessary radio signals can also be supplied by parallel radio remote control transmitters from helicopters, auxiliary vessels and other means.

 The invention, therefore, relates to a device associated with certain operations, ensuring the implementation of the participants ’unmet needs so far - remote emptying of a bulk vessel as an emergency measure, eliminating the need to endanger the crew, individuals and equipment. This technical solution is applicable both to in-line bulk ships, in particular, older ones for retrofitting, as well as for new ships at initial configuration.

Claims (9)

 1. A device for emergency dumping of bulk cargoes in distress, containing transported liquid cargo made with seals at the ends of the hose for removing from the cargo tanks of the vessel and the displacement drives of these hoses, characterized in that it is equipped with one on each side of the cargo tank hatches with hermetic covers on eccentric hinges equipped with radio remote-controlled unlocking bolts of devices for unlocking manholes mounted on cargo tanks with the possibility of communication with them gas cylinders equipped with remote control valves connecting pipelines connecting cargo tanks to each other, located on the ship discharged by inflatable elastic rigidly fixed on anchors and deaerated pontoons or cylinders, as well as compressors and winches located on the ship ejected lifeboats, while of these hoses is rigidly attached at one end to the corresponding cargo tank, located in the hold of the vessel, wound on a drum and and laid in a zigzag between the tank and the corresponding hatch and made of two-chamber made of elastic material with the possibility of air supply by the indicated compressor through the outer chamber to the cargo tank, and at the second end of this hose a coupling is made for connection to the said pontoon or cylinder and an air cushion, and the falin is laid in parallel with a hose along its entire length or wound on a separate drum and connected at its end to a projectile driven by a gas cartridge, as well as to an air cushion my radio remote control, while all the valve drive mechanisms for connecting pipelines, hatcher unlocking devices and hose drive mechanisms are connected to independent external power sources that are constantly maintained during normal operation of the vessel in a fully charged state, and parallel wiring installed on the vessel is connected to the reception station for transmitting all the radio signals to these drives, the individual functions of which are assigned single-use separate coded hours astots.  2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is made with heating devices that the cargo tanks of the vessel are equipped with, moreover, these devices are made primarily of induction heating, generating microwaves using electromagnetic waves in the high frequency range, and are connected to storage batteries or generators.  3. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive mechanisms of these valves of the connecting pipelines and radio-controlled unlocking bolts are made in the form of electromechanical, electro-hydraulic, electro-pneumatic and / or pyrotechnic drive or explosive devices or mechanisms.  4. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the hoses have a length of about 300 m 5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that the inner chambers of the hoses are reinforced with wire cloth, or braid, or a network for application to it
over the appropriate voltage connection to generate microwaves.  6. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that both shells of two-chamber hoses are coated externally and internally with a heat-reflecting / heat-insulating layer.  7. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the hoses are made of about 300 m in length from high-strength material, mainly nylon, or a thin steel cable.  8. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive mechanisms of the hoses are made in the form of gas cartridges, and external power supplies for the drive mechanisms of the valves of the connecting pipes and devices for unlocking the hatches are made in the form of rechargeable batteries with which the drives and radios on the drives are connected separate wire line.  9. A method of emergency dumping of bulk cargo vessels in distress, which includes the delivery of hoses with seals at the ends from the vessel to the sea and discharge of the transported liquid cargo through them, characterized in that before the hoses are made into the sea, the two-chamber hoses open by applying a radio signal on the sides, hatches with the help of their unlocking device, and hoses are fed into the open sea by the mechanisms of their drive by supplying these mechanisms with a radio signal or by suckers supplied to the open sea by gas cartridges at their ends, means for delivering a radio signal to the latter, and air cushions raised to the surface, inflated after the radio signal is supplied when a sufficient distance from the vessel is reached, and after the ends of the hoses are fed a sufficient distance from the vessel, these ends rise to the surface with air cushions inflated on them, inflated by the radio signal, or folenymi, and take with the help of felineyu on the lifeboats catapulted from the vessel, and then the hoses are connected by couplings at their ends to the inflatable discharged from the vessel pontoons or cylinders and their external chambers are pumped with compressed air supplied by compressors installed on lifeboats to a predetermined diameter and after opening by means of a radio signal to the drive mechanisms of the connecting piping of the valves connecting the cargo tanks that provide optimal emptying in accordance with the position of the tanker, removal of liquid cargo from the cargo tanks to the indicated pontoons or cylinders through the inner chambers of the hoses by displacing this liquid cargo from cargo tanks by supplying the compressed air hoses to the latter along the outer chambers of the said compressors or by supplying gas from gas cylinders installed on the respective cargo tanks, while in the process of liquid cargo removal, the immersion depth of each hose in water is adjusted depending on the excitement by changing the ratio between the forces the gravity of the inner hose chamber with a flowing medium and the lifting force of the outer hose chamber, filled and purged with compressed air.

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