RU2489302C2 - Method of oil transfer under ice and device to this end - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to oil transfer under ice by means of submarine tanker. Proposed method is implemented by tanker trailed by submarine vessel. Before trailing, minor position buoyancy is set for loaded tanker with the help of ballast water. After beginning of motion, minimum training depth is maintained (distance between ice bottom edge and tanker) by inclination of depth rudders processing the instruction using the known control devices (hydroacoustical, hydrostatic, optical). Submarine oil transfer device consists of strong hull with oil product loading and discharge openings, ballast cisterns and control and navigation devices. Ballast cisterns are located outside of hull bottom reinforce by stiffness ribs. Plane rudder surfaces are located on sides while drives of rudders, control and navigation devices are arranged at hull top section and don not extend beyond tanker outline.

EFFECT: higher reliability of oil transfer under ice.

2 cl, 2 dwg

Description

The present invention relates to transport to tankers for transporting oil and oil products.

Well-known oil transportation by surface tankers. This method, of course, the most cost-effective and reliable. However, in the conditions of northern latitudes, when most of the time the ocean surface is covered with ice, oil has to be transported through the southern latitudes, which requires additional fuel costs, and, of course, increases the delivery time. Additional costs for icebreakers (if we are talking about most of the northern coast of Russia) increase transport costs by a multiple of times.

A known method of transporting oil (its products) under ice to underwater tankers and the design of the underwater tanker itself, consisting of a durable (armored) hull with holes for loading and unloading oil products, ballast tanks, control and navigation devices (1).

The known tanker and method do not allow in the process of moving to quickly adjust the depth of transportation and quickly load (unload) the tanker. In addition, the tanker, like any self-propelled vessel, has in its design drive engines, compartments for the crew, life support systems, etc.

The aim of the proposed invention is the ability to transport large volumes of oil (petroleum products) under ice over long distances at minimum cost, with high reliability and any underwater propulsion.

The goal in the method is achieved by the fact that, before the start of transportation, a small positive buoyancy of the loaded tanker is established using ballast water, and, after the start of transportation, the minimum depth is maintained (the distance between the bottom edge of the ice and the tanker) using the tilt angle of the depth rudders working out the command with using any known control systems (hydrostatic, hydroacoustic, optical, etc.).

The goal in the device is achieved in that the ballast tanks are located under the lower part of the hull, stiffeners are fixed outside it, the planes of the rudders of the horizon are located on the sides, and the rudder drive, navigation and control devices are located in the upper part of the hull, and do not protrude beyond the tanker contour .

Possibility of implementation

The drawing - figure 1 shows the design of an underwater tanker, which allows under the ice at a shallow depth (50-100 m.) To transport large volumes of oil. It consists of a body-1, which has a streamlined shape, to which stiffeners-2 are welded, at the bottom of the body there are ballast tanks-3, filled with water. On the sides of the hull there are horizon-4 rudders, on the upper part of hull-1 there are lockable holes for loading (unloading) -5. At the top of the building (for ease of maintenance), compartments of control, navigation and horizon-6 rudder drives are fixed. In the bow of the tanker there is a transport unit (for example, in the form of a bracket) -7 for which the tanker is coupled with a towing device.

When constructing a tanker, the weight of its hull filled with oil, together with full ballast tanks, is selected so that it has a small positive (several tons) buoyancy, which guarantees in an emergency, when the transport cable breaks, its ascent. So, the tanker is filled with oil, ballast tanks with water. Using a cable, it connects to a vehicle (submarine), or what other underwater propulsion (2, 3). At the beginning of the movement, the tanker slides with stiffeners along the lower edge of the ice. (For this reason, the covers of the loading openings and control units must not protrude beyond the contour of the vessel). The tanker moves in the direction of arrow A. The depth rudders, the control system when sliding under the ice, are set with a maximum angle a. After a while, the tanker sinks to a predetermined depth, and the control system puts the 4-wheels in a horizontal position. In the future, the control system fulfills minor dynamic fluctuations in the thickness of the ice and a change in the depth of movement of the propulsion device itself (submarine). With a lack of variations in the angle of inclination of the rudders of the horizon, adjustment of the filling of ballast tanks-3 takes effect.

After completion of the route, as soon as the tanker’s movement ceases, it pops up, and you can maintain it. If the loading and unloading of the tanker occurs in ice conditions, of course, it is necessary to free the surface from ice in the amount of its surface part. But today there are technologies for underwater refueling of vehicles,

Thus, the proposed method and the device implementing it allow, with minimal cost (including its manufacture) to move large volumes of oil to anywhere in the world ocean.

Sources of information taken into account when preparing the application

1. Patent of Russia No. 2387571.

2. Patent of Russia №2149120.

3. Patent of Russia No. 2319636.

Claims (2)

1. A method of transporting oil (oil products) under ice using an underwater tanker driven by an underwater vehicle, characterized in that before starting transportation, a small positive buoyancy of the loaded tanker is established using ballast water, and after the start of transportation, the depth is maintained (the distance between the lower edge of the ice and tanker) using the angle of inclination of the depth rudders, practicing the team using any known control systems (hydrostatic, hydroacoustic, wholesale iCal). 2. The device for transporting oil under ice by the method according to claim 1, consisting of a sturdy case with holes for loading and unloading oil products, ballast tanks, control and navigation devices, characterized in that the ballast tanks are located under the lower part of the body, ribs are fixed on the outside stiffness, on the sides are the planes of the rudders of the horizon, and the rudder drive, navigation and control devices are located in the upper part of the hull and do not protrude beyond the tanker's contour.