Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B67—OPENING, CLOSING OR CLEANING BOTTLES, JARS OR SIMILAR CONTAINERS; LIQUID HANDLING
  • B67D—DISPENSING, DELIVERING OR TRANSFERRING LIQUIDS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B67D9/00—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids when loading or unloading ships
  • B67D9/02—Apparatus or devices for transferring liquids when loading or unloading ships using articulated pipes
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/24—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers of pipe-lines
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63B—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; EQUIPMENT FOR SHIPPING 
  • B63B27/00—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for cargo or passengers
  • B63B27/30—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for transfer at sea between ships or between ships and off-shore structures
  • B63B27/34—Arrangement of ship-based loading or unloading equipment for transfer at sea between ships or between ships and off-shore structures using pipe-lines

Definitions

• the invention concerns a device for transferring very cold fluids such as natural gas in liquid form or vapour form via at least one pipeline, from a first structure to a second structure and vice versa, at sea, hereinafter called a platform and a vessel respectively, wherein the device comprises an arm arrangement which extends between the platform and the vessel and supports the pipeline.
• LNG can be discharged from a ship at a quay.
• this kind of discharge there is normally only very slight relative movement of the ship and the quay, and for this process a rigid boom or arm and swivels are employed between the pipeline and adjacent pipe arrangements in the ship or on the quay.
• a boom of this kind is not suitable for use at sea where the distance between the platform and the vessel may be, e.g. 80 m and where the relative movements thereof are great.
• the object of the invention is to provide a device of the type mentioned in the introduction which is not encumbered with the above-mentioned disadvantages.
• Fig. 1 is a side view of a first embodiment of a device according to the invention.
• Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device which is illustrated in fig. 1.
• Fig. 3 is a side view of a section at the interconnection of two arms, where the arms are located in a position wherein they extend parallel and close to each other.
• Fig. 4 is a side view corresponding to that illustrated in fig. 3, but where the arms extend at an angle relative to each other.
• Fig. 5 is a view in the direction of the arrow V in fig. 4.
• Fig. 6 shows a portion of a section along the line VI - VI in fig. 4.
• a slew ring 2 which forms a first slewing device, and whereupon there is attached a crane pedestal 3.
• the crane pedestal 3 can be rotated via the slew ring 2 about a vertical axis relative to the platform by means of a drive device such as at least one hydraulic torque motor or the like (not shown).
• a drive device such as at least one hydraulic torque motor or the like (not shown).
• first hydraulic cylinder or winch 4 for pulling in or paying out at least one first rope 5.
• two pipe systems 6,7 comprising two groups of swivels 8,9,10 and 11,12,13 respectively, where first swivels 8 and 11 respectively connect pipes (not shown) which are stationary relative to the platform, with first, movable pipe pieces 14 and 15 respectively.
• first swivels 8 and 11 respectively connect pipes (not shown) which are stationary relative to the platform, with first, movable pipe pieces 14 and 15 respectively.
• Two second swivels 9,12 connect the first pipe pieces 14, 15 with the first ends of second pipe pieces 16 and 17 respectively, and two third swivels 10,13 are provided on the second ends of the second pipe pieces 16 and 17 respectively.
• a first end of a first crane arm or arm 20 is attached to the crane pedestal 3 via a joint axle 21 which extends horizontally and coaxially relative to the third swivels' axis of rotation.
• a joint axle 21 which extends horizontally and coaxially relative to the third swivels' axis of rotation.
• the first rope 5 is attached to an ear 28 of the arm 20 at a distance from the axle 21, with the result that pulling in or paying out the rope 5 causes the arm 20 to pivot in a vertical plane about the axle 21.
• At least one second hydraulic cylinder or winch 24 which is arranged to pull in or pay out at least one second rope 25 which extends over a disc 26 which is rotatably attached to the arm 20 at its second end.
• a second arm 30 is connected via a universal joint 31 to the first arm 20 at a point between the ends of the latter.
• the second rope 25 is connected to an ear 32 of the second arm at a point between the ends of the latter, with the result that pulling in or paying out the second rope 25 causes the second arm 30 to pivot about the universal joint 31.
• the pairs of rigid pipes 22,23 and 33,34 are mounted on the respective arms 20,30 via bearing devices 35,36, which permit a heat expansion and contraction of the pipes relative to the arms, substantially without any forces or moments thereby being exerted between the pipes and the arms.
• the end sections 60,61 and 62,63 of the rigid pipes 22,33 and 23,34 respectively which are located near the universal joint 31 extend across the longitudinal direction to the central sections of the associated rigid pipes.
• the pipe end sections 60,62 of the pipes on the first arm 20 are connected via releasable couplings with one end of the respective flexible pipes 41 ,42, and the pipe end sections 61,63 of the rigid pipes 33,34 are connected with the second end of the respective flexible pipes 41,42 via similar couplings.
• the flexible pipes 41,42 are each arranged in its cassette 43,44 which is attached to one arm. These cassettes support the flexible pipe turns laterally, permitting simple and safe removal thereof by disconnecting the flexible pipes from the rigid pipes and releasing the cassettes from the arm.
• first connecting members 51,52 which can be connected to respective second connecting members 53,54 which are provided on a vessel 48, and which in turn are connected to associated pipe systems 55,56 with swivels similar to the swivels 8 - 13 and pipe pieces similar to the pipe pieces 14 - 17.
• a guide pin or male component 46 is connected to the second end of the second arm 30, and near this pin there is secured a guide or draw-in line 49 which hangs freely when the arms are not in use.
• the guide pin 46 is arranged for insertion in a pipe socket or female component 47 and to be secured therein, thus enabling the first connecting members 51,52 to be coupled to the second connecting members 53,54 of the vessel 48.
• Figs. 3 - 6 illustrate a second embodiment of turns of flexible pipes in the area of the universal joint connection between two arms, where parts and sections of the second embodiment whose function corresponds to the function of parts and sections of the first embodiment have the same reference numerals.
• each of the transverse sections 60,61,62,63 of the rigid pipes 22,23,33,34 comprises four connections.
• Co-operating, i.e. communicating rigid pipes 22,23 and 33,34 respectively are interconnected via four single turns or loops of flexible pipes 71,72,73,74.
• FIG. 5 only those flexible pipes which are arranged between the rigid pipes 22,33 are illustrated with solid lines, while only the centre lines of corresponding flexible pipes are included between the transverse sections 62,63 of the rigid pipes 23,34. Since four flexible, parallel-connected pipes are provided, the diameter thereof can be small with the same fluid flow quantity per time unit for the associated rigid pipes, and the bending moment for relative movement of the arms can be small.
• the flexible pipes may be advantageously made of corrugated pipes, with the result that they are bellow-shaped and can be easily bent while retaining great resistance to radial deformation. Hollows and ridges in the pipes may hereby extend along the pipes' circumference.
• Fig. 3 illustrates the form of the assembly of flexible pipes when the arms 20,30 are folded in towards each other and fig. 4 illustrates the form of this assembly when the arms are pivoted away from each other.
• Fig. 5 is a view of the pipe assembly viewed in the direction of the arrow V in fig. 4.
• Fig. 6 is an enlarged section along line VI-VI in fig. 4 through the four flexible pipes between the rigid pipes 22,33.
• the cassettes with the flexible pipes can be lowered to the deck of the platform by means of suitable crane equipment, and when the arms extend outwardly pivoted in relation to each other, the cassettes can be lowered to the deck of a supply ship.
• the first arm 20 e.g., there may be provided a control house (not shown) from which the arms 20, 30 can be controlled by means of the torque motor and the hydraulic cylinders 4,24 when the device is connected to or disconnected from a vessel.
• the hydraulic cylinders 4, 24 can be controlled automatically, with the result that the arms are located in a lifted position, wherein the pin 46 is located on a slightly higher level than the female component or the pipe 47.
• the vessel can then be manoeuvred into a position wherein the pipe 47 is located immediately below the connecting pin 46, thus enabling the hauling line 49 to be gripped by a device or personnel on the vessel and connected to a winch thereon (not shown).
• the pin 46 When the winch is operated the pin 46 can be retracted into the pipe 47 and locked thereto.
• the pipe connecting members 51 and 52 on the second arm 30 can then be connected to the pipe connecting members 53 and 54 respectively on the vessel, whereupon a fluid loading operation can be performed.
• the pin 46 can be disconnected from the pipe 47 and the pipe connecting members 51,52 on the arm 30 disconnected from the pipe connecting members 53,54 on the vessel, whereupon the arms 20,30 can once again, possibly automatically, be raised to the lifted position.
• An automatic raising of the arms of this kind may advantageously also take place if the pin 46 has to be released from the female component 47 in an emergency.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Filling Or Discharging Of Gas Storage Vessels (AREA)
• Loading And Unloading Of Fuel Tanks Or Ships (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=19901512

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (12)

Citations (4)

• 1998
  • 1998-01-06 NO NO980060A patent/NO308105B1/no not_active IP Right Cessation
• 1999
  • 1999-01-05 WO PCT/NO1999/000002 patent/WO1999035031A1/en active Application Filing
  • 1999-01-05 AU AU17896/99A patent/AU1789699A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (4)

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