Lunula bottom closure device and method

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of drag reduction technology for moon pool engineering vessels, and particularly to a moon pool bottom sealing device and method; comprising: a baffle assembly, disposed at the bottom of the moon pool, for closing and opening the moon pool, including multiple baffles connected in series, with adjacent baffles hinged together; a drive assembly, including multiple first drive cylinders; and a locking assembly, disposed opposite to the drive assembly and fixed to the other side wall of the moon pool opposite to the drive assembly, wherein the locking assembly locks and limits the baffle assembly when the baffle assembly closes the moon pool; the moon pool bottom sealing device has a simple structure, occupies little space in the moon pool, and is low in cost. By using the first drive cylinders to drive the baffle assembly to close the moon pool, it reduces the drag of the moon pool vessel during navigation, saving costs; the baffle assembly can be vertically folded and stored on one side of the moon pool, making it easy to operate and possessing high promotion and practical value.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of drag reduction technology for lunar pool engineering vessels, and in particular to a lunar pool bottom sealing device and method. Background Technology

[0002] A moon pool is a vertical opening that passes through the deck of a drilling vessel or oil and gas exploration platform, providing access for drilling equipment, risers, and divers. It is an indispensable structure in offshore oil extraction.

[0003] However, due to its large opening, the moon pool allows water from outside to rush into its interior during navigation, creating significant fluid pressure on the aft wall and generating considerable drag on the ship, leading to increased fuel consumption. Furthermore, waves from the moon pool impact its structure and internal equipment, threatening its structural strength. Therefore, it is urgent to address the issues of increased drag and wave impact caused by the moon pool during ship navigation. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the shortcomings of the existing technology, the present invention provides a moon pool bottom sealing device and method that can reduce the resistance of moon pool ships during navigation and reduce waves in the moon pool.

[0005] This invention provides a sealing device for the bottom of a moon pool, comprising:

[0006] A baffle assembly, disposed at the bottom of the moon pool, is used to close and open the moon pool, and includes multiple baffles connected in series, with adjacent baffles hinged together.

[0007] The drive assembly includes a plurality of first drive cylinders, the cylinder barrels of the first drive cylinders being fixed to one side wall of the moon pool, and the piston rods of the first drive cylinders being fixed to the baffle assembly.

[0008] A locking component is disposed opposite to the driving component and fixed on the other side wall of the moon pool opposite to the driving component. When the baffle assembly closes the moon pool, the locking component locks and limits the baffle assembly.

[0009] When the ship is sailing, the first drive cylinder extends and drives the multiple baffles of the baffle assembly to lay flat at the bottom of the moon pool, closing the moon pool, and the locking assembly locks the baffles. When the ship needs to pass through the moon pool, the locking assembly releases the baffles, the first drive cylinder retracts, and drives the multiple baffles to fold vertically and store them on the side wall of the moon pool fixed by the drive assembly.

[0010] In this technical solution, the bottom sealing device of the moon pool has a simple structure, occupies little space in the moon pool, and has low cost. The first driving cylinder drives the baffle assembly to seal the moon pool, reducing the resistance when the moon pool boat is sailing and saving costs. The baffle assembly is vertically folded and stored on one side of the moon pool, which is easy to operate and has extremely high promotion and practical value.

[0011] In some embodiments of this application, the baffle assembly includes:

[0012] The first baffle plate has one side fixed to the piston rod of the first driving cylinder;

[0013] The second baffle has one side hinged to the other side of the first baffle opposite to the first drive cylinder.

[0014] The first driving cylinder extends, causing the first baffle to move from one side of the moon pool to the other side. The first baffle then causes the second baffle to move simultaneously to the other side of the moon pool until the first baffle and the second baffle are placed horizontally, completely sealing the moon pool.

[0015] In some embodiments of this application, pulleys are symmetrically arranged at both ends of the other side of the second baffle away from the first baffle, and grooves are provided on the two sides of the moon pool to allow the pulleys to slide.

[0016] In some embodiments of this application, the locking assembly comprises two sets, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the moon pool, the locking assembly including...

[0017] The locking motor is a forward and reverse rotating motor, fixed to the side wall of the moon pool;

[0018] The locking gear is fixed on the output shaft of the locking motor;

[0019] The locking screw engages with the top of the locking gear;

[0020] The locking motor drives the locking gear to rotate, and the locking gear drives the locking screw to reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pulley. The locking screw extends and inserts into the groove on the side of the pulley to lock the pulley. When the locking screw retracts, the lock on the pulley is released.

[0021] In some embodiments of this application, a storage compartment capable of accommodating the sealing device is provided on one side of the moon pool near the drive assembly. The front end of the storage compartment is provided with an opening, and a sealing door assembly for opening or closing the storage compartment is provided on the opening.

[0022] In some embodiments of this application, the door sealing assembly includes

[0023] A sealing plate, the upper end of which is hinged to the top of the opening of the storage compartment;

[0024] The second driving cylinder has its piston rod hinged to the inner side of the sealing plate located inside the storage compartment, and its cylinder barrel hinged to the top surface of the storage compartment.

[0025] When the second drive cylinder extends, it pushes the sealing plate to rotate around its upper edge toward the outside of the storage compartment, thus opening the storage compartment; when the second drive cylinder retracts, it drives the sealing plate to rotate toward the storage compartment, thus closing the storage compartment.

[0026] In some embodiments of this application, a hinge arm is fixed on the side of the first baffle away from the second baffle. The portion of the hinge arm extending out of the first baffle is a compensation part. The top of the compensation part is hinged to the piston rod of the first driving cylinder. The end of the compensation part away from the first baffle is hinged to a fixed base. The fixed base is fixed to the bottom of the storage compartment.

[0027] In some embodiments of this application, both the first baffle and the second baffle are double-layer steel plate structures, with the two layers of steel plates welded and fixed together, and reinforcing ribs provided between the two layers of steel plates to improve the strength of the first baffle and the second baffle.

[0028] The method for sealing the moon pool using the aforementioned bottom sealing device specifically includes the following steps:

[0029] S1. Open the storage compartment:

[0030] The second drive cylinder extends, pushing the sealing plate to rotate outward around its upper edge, thus opening the storage compartment;

[0031] S2, Baffle assembly starts:

[0032] After the storage compartment is opened, the first drive cylinder is activated to extend, driving the hinge arm to rotate outward around the fixed base. The hinge arm drives the first baffle to rotate, and the rotation of the first baffle pushes the second baffle to move outward. The pulley on the second baffle moves along the slide groove until the first baffle and the second baffle are laid flat to close the moon pool, and the first drive cylinder stops extending.

[0033] S3, Locking baffle assembly:

[0034] After the first baffle and the second baffle are laid flat on the moon pool, the locking motor is started, which drives the locking gear to rotate. The locking gear drives the locking screw to move and extend towards the pulley until the locking screw is inserted into the groove on the side of the pulley, thus fixing the pulley. The baffle assembly is locked, and the locking motor is turned off.

[0035] S4. Foldable baffle assembly for storage:

[0036] When the ship needs to operate through the moon pool, the locking motor is activated, which drives the locking gear to rotate in the opposite direction, causing the locking screw to separate from the side groove of the pulley, releasing the lock on the slide plate assembly. Then, the first drive cylinder is retracted, driving the first baffle and the second baffle to move into the storage compartment and fold.

[0037] In some embodiments of this application, in step S3, after the baffle assembly is locked, the second drive cylinder is retracted, driving the sealing plate to rotate until the sealing plate closes the outlet of the storage compartment, which can ensure that the structural strength of the hull is not affected.

[0038] Before starting the locking motor in step S4, the second drive cylinder must be started to extend it and open the storage compartment; when the first baffle and the second baffle are folded and stored in the storage compartment, the second drive cylinder is retracted and the storage compartment is closed.

[0039] Based on the above technical solution, the moon pool bottom sealing device of the present invention has a simple structure, occupies little moon pool space, and has low cost. It drives the baffle assembly to seal the moon pool by the first driving cylinder, thereby reducing the resistance when the moon pool boat is sailing and saving costs. The baffle assembly is vertically folded and stored on one side of the moon pool, which has good operability and has extremely high promotion and practical value.

[0040] The baffle assembly completely closes the opening at the bottom of the moon pool, blocking the influx of the external flow field into the moon pool and avoiding the problem of waves rising inside the moon pool during ship navigation. It also reduces resistance during navigation more effectively, conveniently, and stably.

[0041] The deployment and retraction of the baffle assembly do not require personnel to enter the storage compartment. It is operated by an electric control device, which is convenient and effectively reduces the resistance of ships sailing in the moon pool, making it suitable for widespread use. Attached Figure Description

[0042] The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and form part of this application, illustrate exemplary embodiments of the invention and, together with their description, serve to explain the invention and do not constitute an undue limitation thereof. In the drawings:

[0043] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the baffle assembly of the moon pool bottom sealing device in an embodiment of the present invention when it is stored.

[0044] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the baffle assembly of the moon pool bottom sealing device according to an embodiment of the present invention during the process of sealing the moon pool;

[0045] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the baffle assembly of the moon pool bottom sealing device according to an embodiment of the present invention when the moon pool is completely sealed;

[0046] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing plate assembly of the moon pool bottom sealing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the baffle assembly of the moon pool bottom sealing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the locking assembly of the moon pool bottom sealing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0049] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the first baffle of the moon pool bottom sealing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0050] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the sealing plate of the moon pool bottom sealing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0051] In the picture,

[0052] 10. Moon pool; 11. Slide groove; 20. Baffle assembly; 21. First baffle; 211. First side; 212. Second side; 213. Vertical reinforcing rib; 22. Second baffle; 221. Third side; 222. Fourth side; 23. Hinge; 24. Hinge arm; 241. Compensation part; 30. Drive assembly; 31. First drive cylinder; 311. First cylinder barrel; 312. First piston rod; 40. Locking assembly; 41. Locking motor; 42. Locking gear; 43. Locking screw; 44. Snap-on box; 50. Storage compartment; 51. Opening; 52. Door sealing assembly; 521. Sealing plate; 5211. Inner side; 522. Second drive cylinder. Detailed Implementation

[0053] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of them. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present invention without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0054] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "lateral", "longitudinal", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0055] The terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first," "second," or "third" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature.

[0056] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "joining" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention based on the specific circumstances.

[0057] As attached Figure 1 As shown, the moon pool bottom sealing device in this embodiment includes:

[0058] Baffle assembly 20 is disposed at the bottom of moon pool 10 and is used to close and open moon pool 10. In this embodiment, baffle assembly 20 includes two baffles connected in series and hinged between the two baffles.

[0059] The drive assembly 30 includes a plurality of first drive cylinders 31. The first cylinder barrel 311 of the first drive cylinder 31 is fixed on one side wall of the moon pool 10, and the first piston rod 312 of the first drive cylinder 31 is fixed on the baffle assembly 20. In this embodiment, there are two first drive cylinders, which are symmetrically arranged at both ends of the baffle assembly 20.

[0060] The locking component 40 is disposed opposite to the driving component 30 and fixed on the other side wall of the moon pool 10 opposite to the driving component 30. When the baffle component 20 closes the moon pool, the locking component 40 locks and limits the baffle component 20.

[0061] When the ship is sailing, in order to avoid the problem of waves rising into the moon pool, the first drive cylinder 31 extends to drive the two baffles of the baffle assembly 20 to be laid flat at the bottom of the moon pool 10, closing the moon pool, and the locking assembly 40 locks the baffles. When the ship needs to pass through the moon pool 10 for operation, the locking assembly 40 is released from locking the baffles, the first drive cylinder 31 retracts, and drives the two baffles to be vertically folded and stored on the side wall of the moon pool 10 fixed by the drive assembly.

[0062] In this technical solution, the bottom sealing device of the moon pool has a simple structure, occupies little space in the moon pool, and has low cost. The first driving cylinder 31 drives the baffle assembly 20 to seal the moon pool, reducing the resistance when the moon pool boat is sailing and saving costs. The baffle assembly 20 is vertically folded and stored on one side of the moon pool, which has good operability and has extremely high promotion and practical value.

[0063] like Figure 5 As shown, the baffle assembly 20 in this embodiment includes:

[0064] The first baffle 21 has its first side 211 fixed to the first piston rod 312 of the first drive cylinder 31;

[0065] The third side 221 of the second baffle 22 is hinged to the second side 212 of the first baffle 21 opposite to the first drive cylinder 31 via a hinge 23. In this embodiment, the width of the first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 is the same as the width of the moon pool 10, the length of the first baffle 21 is less than the length of the second baffle 22, and the sum of the lengths of the first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 is the same as the length of the moon pool 10, so as to ensure that the first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 are laid flat and have the same shape and area as the moon pool 10, which can completely seal the moon pool 10.

[0066] The first drive cylinder 31 extends, causing the first baffle 21 to move from one side of the moon pool 10 to the other side. The first baffle 21 causes the second baffle 22 to move simultaneously to the other side of the moon pool 10 until the first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 are both placed horizontally, completely sealing the moon pool 10.

[0067] See also Figure 5 In order to reduce the movement resistance of the second baffle 22 when it is laid flat, pulleys 223 are symmetrically arranged at both ends of the fourth side of the second baffle 22 away from the first baffle 21. Slide grooves 11 are provided on the corresponding two sides of the moon pool 10 to allow the pulleys 223 to slide. The slide grooves 11 can also limit the second baffle 22 to prevent the second baffle 22 from shifting, causing the moon pool to be not sealed tightly and generating a certain amount of navigation resistance.

[0068] In this embodiment, there are two sets of locking components 40, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the moon pool 10. The locking components 40 include:

[0069] The locking motor 41 is a forward and reverse rotating motor, fixed to the side wall of the moon pool 10;

[0070] The locking gear 42 is fixed on the output shaft of the locking motor 41;

[0071] The locking screw 43 engages with the top of the locking gear 42;

[0072] The locking motor 41 drives the locking gear 42 to rotate, and the locking gear 42 drives the locking screw 43 to reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the pulley 223. In this embodiment, the locking motor 41 rotates forward, driving the locking screw 43 to extend and insert into the groove on the side of the pulley 223 to lock the pulley 23; the locking motor 41 rotates in reverse, driving the locking screw 43 to retract and separate from the groove on the side of the pulley 223, thereby releasing the lock of the pulley 223.

[0073] To prevent the locking gear 42 and locking screw 43 from being corroded by wind and waves, the locking motor 41 is connected to the snap-fit ​​box 44. The locking gear 42 and locking screw 43 are both located inside the snap-fit ​​box 44. Bearings are provided on the front, back, left, and right sides of the snap-fit ​​box 44. The output shaft of the locking motor 41 extends into the snap-fit ​​box 44 through the bearings. The locking screw 43 is fixed to the bearing on the other side of the snap-fit ​​box 44. The axial direction of the output shaft of the locking motor 41 is perpendicular to the axis of the locking screw 43, thus converting the circular motion of the output shaft of the locking motor 41 into the linear motion of the locking screw 43.

[0074] like Figure 4 As shown, in order to prevent the baffle assembly from being eroded by external wind and waves during storage and reduce its service life, in this embodiment, a storage compartment 50 capable of accommodating the sealing device is opened on the side of the moon pool near the drive assembly 30. An opening 51 is provided at the front end of the storage compartment 50, and a sealing door assembly 52 for opening or closing the storage compartment 50 is provided on the opening 51.

[0075] like Figure 3 As shown, the door sealing assembly 52 includes...

[0076] The sealing plate 521 is hinged at its upper end to the top of the opening 51 of the storage compartment 50;

[0077] The piston rod of the second drive cylinder 522 is hinged to the inner side 5211 of the sealing plate 521 inside the storage compartment 50, and the hinge point is located in the middle and lower part of the inner side. The cylinder of the second drive cylinder 522 is hinged to the top surface of the storage compartment 50.

[0078] When the second drive cylinder 522 extends, it pushes the sealing plate 521 to rotate around its upper edge toward the outside of the storage compartment 50, at which time the storage compartment 50 opens; when the second drive cylinder 522 retracts, it drives the sealing plate 521 to rotate toward the storage compartment 50, and when the second drive cylinder 522 retracts to the shortest distance, the storage compartment 50 closes.

[0079] like Figure 1 As shown, a hinge arm 24 is fixed on the first side 211 of the first baffle 21 away from the second baffle 22. The hinge arm 24 is fixedly connected to the first baffle 21 by welding or bolting. The part of the hinge arm 24 extending out of the first baffle 21 is a compensation part 241. The top of the compensation part 241 is hinged to the piston rod 312 of the first drive cylinder 31, and the end of the compensation part 241 away from the first baffle 21 is hinged to the fixed base 25. The fixed base 25 is fixed to the bottom of the storage compartment 50. When the first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 are folded and stored inside the storage compartment 50, since the length of the first baffle 12 is less than the length of the second baffle 22, the compensation part 241 is needed to compensate for the length difference between the first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 in order to make the second baffle 22 and the first baffle 21 completely folded. This ensures that the first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 are both in a vertical state when folded and can fit together completely, reducing the space occupation rate. Meanwhile, when the moon pool is closed, the presence of the compensation part 241 causes the first side 211 of the first baffle 21 to rotate to abut against the side of the moon pool 10, and the fourth side 222 of the second baffle 22 abuts against the other side of the moon pool 10, thereby achieving complete closure of the moon pool 10 and avoiding the resistance caused by the waves on the moon pool during navigation.

[0080] During navigation, the baffle assembly 20 encloses the moon pool 10. The first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 need to withstand wind and waves. Therefore, the first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 must have a certain structural strength. In this embodiment, both the first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 are double-layer steel plate structures. Figure 6 As shown, this is a structural schematic diagram of the first baffle 21. Two layers of steel plates are welded and fixed together, and vertical reinforcing ribs 213 are provided between the two layers of steel plates to improve the strength of the first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22. Figure 7 As shown, in this embodiment, the sealing plate 521 is a single-layer steel plate structure, and transverse reinforcing ribs 522 are provided on the inner side of the steel plate to ensure the structural strength of the ship and prevent damage to the baffle assembly after the sealing plate 521 is damaged.

[0081] In this embodiment, a fixed base 25 is provided on the rear side wall of the storage compartment 50, and the first cylinder 311 of the first drive cylinder 31 is hinged to the fixed base 25; a fixed base 25 is also provided on the top of the compensation part 241, and the first piston rod 312 is hinged to the fixed base, so that the first drive cylinder 31 can extend and retract to drive the baffle assembly to be laid flat or folded for storage; fixed bases 25 are also provided on the top surface of the storage compartment and the inner side of the sealing plate 521, and the cylinder and piston rod of the second drive cylinder 522 are hinged to the corresponding fixed base 25, so that the extension and retraction of the second drive cylinder 522 can drive the sealing plate 521 to rotate to the outside or inside of the storage compartment 50, opening or closing the storage compartment 50.

[0082] When a ship is navigating, in order to reduce the navigation resistance generated by the waves rising from the moon pool, the moon pool needs to be closed. The method for closing the moon pool 10 using the aforementioned bottom sealing device specifically includes the following steps:

[0083] S1. Open storage compartment 50:

[0084] like Figure 1 The diagram shows the state of the bottom sealing device of the moon pool when it is folded and stored. The second drive cylinder 522 is activated to extend it. The second drive cylinder 522 pushes the sealing plate 52 to rotate outward around its upper edge, opening the storage compartment 50. When the second drive cylinder 522 is extended to its maximum length, the storage compartment 50 is fully opened.

[0085] S2, baffle assembly 20 starts:

[0086] After the storage compartment 50 is opened, the first drive cylinder 31 is extended, pushing the hinge arm 24 to rotate counterclockwise outward around the fixed base 25. The hinge arm 25 drives the first baffle 21 to rotate, and the rotation of the first baffle 21 pushes the second baffle 22 to move outward, so that the pulley 223 on the second baffle 22 moves along the slide groove 11. The first drive cylinder 31 continues to extend until the first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 are laid flat to close the moon pool 10, and the first drive cylinder 31 stops extending.

[0087] S3, Locking baffle assembly 20:

[0088] After the first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 are laid flat in the moon pool 10, the locking motor 41 is started and driven to rotate clockwise, causing the locking gear 42 to rotate. The rotation of the locking gear 42 causes the locking screw 43 to move and extend towards the pulley 223. When the locking screw 43 is inserted into the groove on the side of the pulley, the locking screw 43 fixes the pulley 223, thereby locking the second baffle 22 and the first baffle 21, and the locking motor 41 is turned off. Then, the second drive cylinder 522 is retracted, causing the sealing plate 52 to rotate towards the storage compartment 50 until the sealing plate 52 closes the outlet 51 of the storage compartment 50, which can ensure that the structural strength of the hull is not affected. At this time, the baffle assembly 20 completely closes the moon pool 10, reducing the navigation resistance.

[0089] S4. Foldable baffle assembly for storage:

[0090] When the vessel needs to operate through Moon Pool 10, the second drive cylinder 522 must first be activated to extend it, causing the sealing plate 52 to rotate outward around its upper edge until it reaches its maximum length, opening the outlet 51 of the storage compartment 50. Then, the locking motor 41 is activated to reverse, driving the locking gear 42 to rotate counterclockwise, causing the locking screw 43 to separate from the side groove of the pulley 223, releasing the locking screw 43 from the second baffle 22. Then, the first drive cylinder 31 is retracted, driving the hinge arm 24 to rotate clockwise inward around the fixed base 25, driving the first baffle 21... The first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 are rotated inward, moving the second baffle 22 into the storage compartment 50. Since the first baffle 21 and the second baffle 22 are hinged together by the hinge 23, when the first baffle 21 rotates, the angle between the second baffle 22 and the first baffle 21 gradually decreases from 180°. As the first drive cylinder retracts, the angle between the second baffle 22 and the first baffle 21 gradually decreases to 0°, at which point the folding and storage of the second baffle 22 and the first baffle 21 is completed. Finally, the second drive cylinder 522 retracts, causing the sealing plate 51 to rotate inward, closing the storage compartment 50.

[0091] The moon pool bottom sealing device described in the above embodiment has a simple structure, occupies little space in the moon pool, and has low cost. The baffle assembly completely closes the opening at the bottom of the moon pool. The deployment and retraction of the baffle assembly do not require personnel to enter the storage compartment. It is easy to operate by relying on the start of the electric control device. It blocks the inflow of the external flow field into the moon pool, avoids the problem of waves rising in the moon pool during ship navigation, and reduces the resistance during navigation more effectively, conveniently and stably.

[0092] Finally, it should be noted that the various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0093] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and not to limit them; although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications can still be made to the specific implementation of the present invention or equivalent substitutions can be made to some technical features without departing from the spirit of the technical solutions of the present invention, and all such modifications and substitutions should be covered within the scope of the technical solutions claimed in the present invention.

Claims

1. A sealing device for the bottom of a moon pool, characterized in that, include: A baffle assembly, disposed at the bottom of the moon pool, is used to close and open the moon pool, and includes multiple baffles connected in series, with adjacent baffles hinged together. The drive assembly includes a plurality of first drive cylinders, the cylinder barrels of the first drive cylinders being fixed to one side wall of the moon pool, and the piston rods of the first drive cylinders being fixed to the baffle assembly. The structure of the baffle assembly includes: The first baffle plate has one side fixed to the piston rod of the first driving cylinder; The second baffle has one side hinged to the other side of the first baffle opposite to the first drive cylinder. The first driving cylinder extends, causing the first baffle to move from one side of the moon pool to the other side. The first baffle causes the second baffle to move simultaneously to the other side of the moon pool until the first baffle and the second baffle are placed horizontally, completely sealing the moon pool. A hinge arm is fixed on the side of the first baffle away from the second baffle. The part of the hinge arm that extends out of the first baffle is a compensation part. The top of the compensation part is hinged to the piston rod of the first driving cylinder. The end of the compensation part away from the first baffle is hinged to a fixed base. The fixed base is fixed to the bottom of the storage compartment. A locking component is disposed opposite to the driving component and fixed on the other side wall of the moon pool opposite to the driving component. When the baffle assembly closes the moon pool, the locking component locks and limits the baffle assembly. The locking assembly comprises two sets, symmetrically arranged on both sides of the moon pool, and includes... The locking motor is a forward and reverse rotating motor, fixed to the side wall of the moon pool; The locking gear is fixed on the output shaft of the locking motor; The locking screw engages with the top of the locking gear; The locking motor drives the locking gear to rotate, and the locking gear drives the locking screw to reciprocate in a direction perpendicular to the pulley axis. The locking screw extends and inserts into the groove on the side of the pulley to lock the pulley. When the locking screw retracts, the lock on the pulley is released. When the ship is sailing, the first drive cylinder extends and drives the multiple baffles of the baffle assembly to lay flat at the bottom of the moon pool, closing the moon pool, and the locking assembly locks the baffles. When the ship needs to pass through the moon pool, the locking assembly releases the baffles, the first drive cylinder retracts, and drives the multiple baffles to fold vertically and store them on the side wall of the moon pool fixed by the drive assembly.

2. The moon pool bottom sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Pulleys are symmetrically arranged at both ends of the other side of the second baffle away from the first baffle, and sliding grooves are provided on the two sides of the moon pool to allow the pulleys to slide.

3. The moon pool bottom sealing device according to claim 2, characterized in that, A storage compartment capable of accommodating the sealing device is provided on one side of the moon pool near the drive assembly. The front end of the storage compartment is provided with an opening, and a sealing door assembly for opening or closing the storage compartment is provided on the opening.

4. The moon pool bottom sealing device according to claim 3, characterized in that, The sealing assembly includes A sealing plate, the upper end of which is hinged to the top of the opening of the storage compartment; The second driving cylinder has its piston rod hinged to the inner side of the sealing plate located inside the storage compartment, and its cylinder barrel hinged to the top surface of the storage compartment. When the second drive cylinder extends, it pushes the sealing plate to rotate around its upper edge toward the outside of the storage compartment, thus opening the storage compartment; when the second drive cylinder retracts, it drives the sealing plate to rotate toward the storage compartment, thus closing the storage compartment.

5. The moon pool bottom sealing device according to claim 1, characterized in that, Both the first baffle and the second baffle are double-layer steel plate structures, with the two layers of steel plates welded and fixed together, and reinforcing ribs provided between the two layers of steel plates.

6. The method for sealing the moon pool using the bottom sealing device according to claim 4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Open the storage compartment: The second drive cylinder extends, pushing the sealing plate to rotate outward around its upper edge, thus opening the storage compartment; S2, Baffle assembly starts: After the storage compartment is opened, the first drive cylinder is activated to extend, driving the hinge arm to rotate outward around the fixed base. The hinge arm drives the first baffle to rotate, and the rotation of the first baffle pushes the second baffle to move outward. The pulley on the second baffle moves along the slide groove until the first baffle and the second baffle are laid flat to close the moon pool, and the first drive cylinder stops extending. S3, Locking baffle assembly: After the first baffle and the second baffle are laid flat on the moon pool, the locking motor is started, which drives the locking gear to rotate. The locking gear drives the locking screw to move and extend towards the pulley until the locking screw is inserted into the groove on the side of the pulley, thus fixing the pulley. The baffle assembly is locked, and the locking motor is turned off. S4. Foldable baffle assembly for storage: When the ship needs to operate through the moon pool, the locking motor is activated, which drives the locking gear to rotate in the opposite direction, causing the locking screw to separate from the side groove of the pulley, releasing the lock on the baffle assembly. Then, the first drive cylinder is retracted, driving the first baffle and the second baffle to move into the storage compartment and fold.

7. The sealing method according to claim 6, characterized in that, In step S3, after the baffle assembly is locked, the second drive cylinder is retracted, driving the sealing plate to rotate until the sealing plate closes the outlet of the storage compartment. Before starting the locking motor in step S4, the second drive cylinder must be started to extend it and open the storage compartment; when the first baffle and the second baffle are folded and stored in the storage compartment, the second drive cylinder is retracted and the storage compartment is closed.

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