RU2261818C2 - Floating platform for marine structures and raising of sunken vessels - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: floating platforms for marine structures and raising of sunken vessels.

SUBSTANCE: proposed floating platform has floating hull with engine and propulsion plant and cargo-hoisting equipment and at least one self-contained lower module which is made in form of submarine and is rigidly connected with floating hull by means of joint complex including longitudinal slot made in floating hull bottom; said module is received by this slot; joint complex is also provided with articulation grips and diagonal rods with attachment unit for securing to floating hull and to module. Floating hull is reinforced by longitudinal and transversal arch-shaped structures located on its deck and provided with watertight bearing struts.

EFFECT: extended functional capabilities; enhanced efficiency.

5 dwg

Description

The invention relates to shipbuilding and for the construction of floating vessels intended for marine underwater construction and lifting of sunken, including large, vessels.

There are known marine self-propelled and towed floating platforms designed for underwater construction and mining (1, 2). Some of them can also be used to lift wrecks. For example, using the Norwegian Regalia platform to lift parts of the Kursk submarine.

Such platforms have a floating body in the form of a pontoon or twin, like a catamaran; deck superstructures and technological equipment. The disadvantages of such devices include the low speed of movement to the place of work, the dependence on the action of wind and sea waves, the unreliability of stabilization by rope-anchor devices, the limitation of the depth of work, the inability to regulate the carrying capacity.

Floating offshore platforms with support to the bottom are known. These include a mobile two-frame platform with mounting devices (3). This platform consists of a surface structure, a floating underwater base and a tubular support column, moving through the underwater base until it stops on the ground. This platform and the like provide stability and allow you to lift large weights due to the support on the ground. Their disadvantages: poor seaworthiness, the difficulty of mounting the supports and the limited depth of the sea, since the length of the supports of any design has strength limits.

Floating vessels with a small waterline area are known (4). Such vessels consist of subsurface floating cigar-shaped structures and supported on them by columns of upper surface structures. This device provides high seaworthiness (due to the exclusion of friction of the upper part against water), reduces the dependence on weather conditions and allows solving certain technological problems (for example, the possibility of movement in ice (5)).

However, in relation to the requirements for the production of lifting underwater operations, this device has the following disadvantages:

- the buoyancy and stability reserves of such a vessel are very limited, since they depend only on the capabilities of ballasting its underwater part, given that the lifting forces are added to the weight of the surface structure and can act eccentrically;

- the connection of the upper and lower parts of the vessel with the help of columns with hinged nodes creates non-rigid structures with enormous stresses in the nodes.

All this does not meet the requirements of strength and reliability of a lifting floating platform.

A device is known for lifting heavyweight large-sized objects (6), which are an arched bridge mounted on two pontoons. At the same time, hollow struts of the bridge are used to accommodate lifting mechanisms. This device allows you to solve problems associated with simplifying the design of the drive of lifting mechanisms, but does not solve the problem of strength, since the arched structure on floating supports does not have great rigidity.

Closest to the proposed technical solution is the installation of a floating platform for the development of oil and gas fields (7). The hull of this platform is made in the form of a submarine in a semi-underwater condition. Technological equipment is located inside its hull and on an external (non-flooded) surface, and mooring devices for transport ships are provided on the sides of the hull. At the same time, the platform is connected by means of flexible pipelines to equipment located on the seabed. It is allowed to use submarines withdrawn from service as such a device.

Such a construction of a floating platform has several advantages compared to existing ones, namely: reduced investment in construction, ease of relocation, increased security, the ability to use off-the-shelf navigation equipment and power plants (in the case of existing submarines), etc.

However, the use of such a device for lifting with heavy loads is not possible. This is due to the fact that the submarine does not have lateral stability from the action of lateral moments of forces that may arise during lifting operations. The mooring device for ships provided in this design, carried out by known means, will not eliminate the vibrations of the connected vessels and, therefore, will not allow to fulfill the requirements of strength and stability of the entire system.

Thus, a general tendency is observed in the development of offshore floating platforms - this is the solution of particular problems with the loss of any other qualitative or functional indicators. For example, improved seaworthiness leads to a decrease in either technological capabilities or sustainability and reliability, and vice versa. At the same time, in all known areas there is no prospect of universalization, characterization and creation on this basis of multi-purpose platforms. And completely unclear is the direction of creating platforms for deep-sea work and with great lifting capabilities.

The purpose of the invention is to increase the efficiency and functionality of a floating platform while ensuring the reliability of its design.

This goal is achieved by the fact that the floating platform consists of two independent shipping parts: the lower and upper, rigidly interconnected into a single floating platform. The lower part includes one or several modules in the form of submarines equipped with rigid attachment points to the upper part, and the upper part is a floating hull, reinforced from above with arched structures, and also equipped with a docking complex for modules.

Assembled with modules, the platform has a total and at the same time adjustable load capacity (for example, due to the ballasting of the modules) and increased stability. And with the simultaneous use of module movers and a floating hull, the tasks of obtaining sufficiently high transport speeds and good maneuvering are being solved. Depending on the required load capacity and purpose, the platform can be created on the basis of one or more modules.

Broad prospects for this device open up when using existing (for example, convertible) submarines as modules, given the perfection of their equipment (control, navigation, energy supply, etc.).

A floating platform device with one module is shown in FIG. 1 — side view, FIG. 2 — top view, FIG. 3 — front view, FIGS. 4, 5 — front view with two and three modules.

The platform consists of a floating hull 1, reinforced from above with structures 2 and modules 3 rigidly connected to it in the form of submarines. To connect the modules to the hull, a docking complex is used, including longitudinal grooves 4 located in the bottom parts of the floating hull and connecting mechanisms: side hinged grips 5, diagonal rods 6 with attachment points 7. The lifting equipment 8, 9 is located on the deck of the floating hull, and on the upper belt of the power structures, and for the convenience of lifting and construction work in the housing 1 may be provided with open windows and closures.

In order to increase the strength of the floating hull 1, its upper structures 2 are made in the form of longitudinal and transverse arches, the upper belt of which (to reduce windage) can be bridge trusses. At the same time, the truss racks have a waterproof design, which allows to increase the immersion depth of the floating hull: a) in adverse weather conditions; b) if necessary, increase the lifting force by ballasting (for example, when the wreck is separated from the bottom).

To perform shunting operations and autonomous use, the floating body is equipped with a mover and propulsion system, which also ensures the operation of technological equipment.

When docking with a floating casing, the modules 3 are inserted from below into the corresponding grooves 4 and fixed motionless by mechanisms 5, 6, 7. To perform these works, both platform lifting devices and special drives can be used.

As modules 3 can be used either special submarines or existing (for example, convertible), but capable of operating at shallow depths. Such submarines should be freed from military equipment and equipped with attachment points 7. At the same time, propulsors, control, navigation, ballasting and power supply systems that can be used during the platform operation should be preserved.

In conjunction with the modules, the floating casing forms a single floating platform with control from a common center. Depending on the required load capacity and purpose, such a platform can be performed in different versions with a different number of modules - Figs. 4, 5.

The advantages of the proposed device floating platform include:

- the ability to create platforms of different classes (types) for carrying capacity and purpose, using a different number of modules;

- increase in transport speeds and reduction of delivery time to the place of work;

- improvement of shunting qualities and the ability to perform work without cable anchor devices;

- less dependent on weather conditions;

- reduction in the creation time and financial costs in the case of the use of existing submarines. This option is preferred because it allows the use of highly efficient equipment of modern submarines.

Sources of information

1. J. "Construction and road machines", No. 5, 2002.

2. Goldin E.R. Underwater technical work, technology and means of mechanization. M .: Transport, 1987.

3. A.S. USSR No. 1749374, class E 02 B 17/00, BI No. 27, 1992.

4. Kuzmenko A.V. Ships with a small waterline area / Shipbuilding, No. 8, 1993.

5. USSR patent, No. 917690, cl. B 63 B 35/12, BI No. 12, 1982.

6. A.S. USSR No. 1615043, class B 63 B 35/00, B 66 C 23/50, BI No. 47, 1990.

7. RF patent No. 2016169, cl. E 02 B 17/00, BI No. 13, 1994.

Claims (1)

A floating platform for offshore construction and lifting of sunken ships, comprising a floating hull with a propulsion system and lifting equipment, characterized in that it is equipped with at least one independent lower module, made in the form of a submarine and rigidly connected to the floating hull by the docking complex, which includes a longitudinal groove made in the bottom of the floating hull, into which the lower module, side articulated grips and diagonal traction with nodes fastening to the floating hull and the hull of this module, while the floating hull is reinforced with longitudinal and transverse arched structures located on its deck with waterproof support stands.

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