Torpedo anchor and method of use thereof

Abstract

The application provides a torpedo anchor and a use method thereof, and relates to the technical field of anchoring equipment. The torpedo anchor comprises an anchor body, an anchor head, an inflatable air bag and an electric control igniter. The anchor body comprises a plurality of sub-anchor bodies which are sequentially nested. The top plates of any two sub-anchor bodies nested with each other have an accommodating space therebetween. The anchor head is fixedly connected with the bottom of the innermost sub-anchor body. The inflatable air bag is used for placing an explosive agent. The accommodating space is provided with the inflatable air bag. The electric control igniter is used for igniting the explosive agent. The length of the torpedo anchor after penetrating into the stratum is lengthened by using the air bag inflation impact method, so as to increase the contact area and friction force of the torpedo anchor and the stratum, and significantly improve the pullout bearing capacity of the torpedo anchor. The cooperation structure of each sub-anchor body in the application is simple and has high stability, and does not need a complex mechanical structure. Therefore, the torpedo anchor still has good stability on the premise of realizing the stretching of the torpedo anchor in the bottom layer.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of anchoring equipment, in particular to a torpedo anchor and a method for using the same. Background Art

[0002] As global exploration of marine resources continues to advance into the deep sea, the safety and stability of offshore facilities, such as offshore oil platforms, are becoming increasingly critical. Among the various deepwater anchor foundation forms, the torpedo anchor, with its advantages such as cost-effectiveness, simple and efficient installation, and excellent anchoring performance, has become a deepwater anchor foundation form with great development potential. In particular, it overcomes the disadvantage of traditional anchor foundations, where installation costs increase significantly with increasing water depth. However, current torpedo anchors rely primarily on their own gravity to penetrate the soil, and their pullout resistance relies primarily on the frictional resistance between the sidewalls of the anchor body and the soil, as well as the pressure of the overburden on the top. However, in complex deep-sea environments, the pullout resistance of existing torpedo anchors is difficult to meet the growing engineering needs, leaving significant room for improvement.

[0003] Increasing the length and pullout resistance of torpedo anchors has long been a research priority in the field of marine engineering. Currently, various technical solutions exist, including: Traditional mechanical tensioning: This involves installing a mechanical tensioning mechanism within the anchor body, such as a screw-nut structure or a hydraulic telescopic rod. During operation, an external power source drives the mechanical structure, causing the anchor segments to slide relative to each other, achieving extension. While this approach can increase length, the mechanical structure is complex, prone to failure, and installation and maintenance costs are high. Surface modification: This involves adding ribs or protrusions to the torpedo anchor's surface, or modifying the anchor's shape to include a spiral or barbed shape. This increases pullout resistance by increasing the contact area and engagement between the anchor and the soil. However, this approach offers limited increases in pullout resistance and is unstable in complex geological conditions. Grouting reinforcement: After the torpedo anchor penetrates the ground, cement slurry and other reinforcement materials are injected into the surrounding soil through grouting pipes within the anchor body. This creates a tighter bond between the anchor body and the soil, enhancing pullout resistance. However, the grouting process is difficult to control, requires high technical skills from the construction personnel, and is costly.

[0004] In summary, existing technologies for increasing the length or pullout resistance of torpedo anchors have numerous limitations. Most technologies focus solely on improving the local bearing capacity of torpedo anchors, failing to comprehensively enhance their overall bearing performance. In technologies that rely on deploying structures to increase bearing capacity, factors such as the stiffness, number, and size of the deployed structures severely restrict the improvement, and deploying the structures can easily lead to a decrease in overall stability. Furthermore, in actual applications, the deployed structures may fail to deploy adequately due to significant soil resistance, leading to deployment failure. This makes the pullout resistance of existing torpedo anchors difficult to meet the demands of complex marine engineering projects. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a torpedo anchor and a method for using the same to solve the problems existing in the above-mentioned prior art, and the torpedo anchor has better structural stability and higher reliability.

[0006] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following solutions:

[0007] The present invention provides a torpedo anchor, comprising: an anchor body, an anchor head, an inflatable airbag, and an electronically controlled igniter. The anchor body comprises a plurality of sub-anchor bodies nested in sequence, any two of the sub-anchor bodies nested in each other slide together along the axial direction, a receiving space is provided between the top plates of any two of the sub-anchor bodies nested in each other, and any two of the sub-anchor bodies nested in each other have a retracted state and an extended state. Any two of the sub-anchor bodies nested in each other can slide relative to each other to switch from the retracted state to the extended state; the anchor head is fixedly connected to the bottom of the innermost sub-anchor body; the inflatable airbag is used to place explosive agents ; An inflatable airbag is provided in the accommodating space; the inflatable airbag has a contracted state and an inflated state; the inflatable airbag in the contracted state can reach an inflated state after the explosion of the agent; the electronically controlled igniter is used to ignite the agent; in the initial state, any two adjacent sub-anchor bodies are in a stored state, and the inflatable airbag is in a contracted state; after the torpedo anchor penetrates the bottom layer, the electronically controlled igniter is used to ignite the agent and make the inflatable airbag reach an inflated state, while driving the two sub-anchor bodies nested with each other to slide relative to each other and reach an extended state.

[0008] Preferably, any two mutually nested sub-anchor bodies are slidably matched via a slideway and a slider.

[0009] Preferably, a locking structure is further included, and after any two sub-anchor bodies nested with each other reach an extended state, the locking structure can lock the relative positions of the two sub-anchor bodies nested with each other.

[0010] Preferably, it further comprises a delay controller, which can delay the control of the electronically controlled igniter to ignite the reagent.

[0011] Preferably, a sealing ring is provided in the annular gap between any two adjacent sub-anchor bodies.

[0012] Preferably, the inflatable airbag in the inflated state has a cylindrical structure.

[0013] Preferably, except for the innermost sub-anchor body, the inner walls of the remaining sub-anchor bodies are provided with limiting members, and the limiting members are arranged close to the top plates of the sub-anchor bodies. The ends of the limiting members of any two sub-anchor bodies nested with each other, away from the inner wall of the outer sub-anchor body, are located in the cylindrical space where the outer wall of the inner sub-anchor body is located.

[0014] Preferably, any two sub-anchor bodies nested in each other include an inner sub-anchor body and an outer sub-anchor body, the outer wall of the inner sub-anchor body is provided with an elastic column, the inner wall of the outer sub-anchor body is provided with a clamping groove, the clamping groove is provided close to the bottom of the outer sub-anchor body, and the elastic column is provided close to the top of the inner sub-anchor body, the inner sub-anchor body slides relative to the outer sub-anchor body to drive the elastic column to move along a first path, the clamping groove is provided at the end of the first path, and when the elastic column moves to face the clamping groove, the elastic column extends and enters the clamping groove.

[0015] The present invention also provides a method for using the torpedo anchor as described above, comprising:

[0016] Inspection: Before launching, thoroughly check the connection and function of all parts of the torpedo anchor;

[0017] Dropping: At the designated target location, the torpedo anchor is hoisted with a working anchor chain and dropped, and the torpedo anchor eventually sinks to the designated location;

[0018] Extension: The electronically controlled igniter is controlled from top to bottom in sequence by a time delay controller to ignite the agent.

[0019] Preferably, the delay time difference between the delay controllers in any two adjacent accommodating spaces is 100-150 seconds.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has achieved the following technical effects:

[0021] The present invention adopts the air bag expansion impact method to lengthen the length of the torpedo anchor after penetrating the formation, thereby increasing the contact area and friction between the torpedo anchor and the formation, and significantly improving the pull-out bearing capacity of the torpedo anchor. In addition, the matching structure of each sub-anchor body in the present application is simple and stable, and no complex mechanical structure is required. As a result, the torpedo anchor can maintain good stability while extending in the bottom layer. In addition, the impact force generated by the explosion of the agent is large, which can overcome the resistance in the formation, thereby allowing the device to extend well in the formation and have high reliability. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative work.

[0023] Figure 1 A schematic structural diagram of a torpedo anchor in its initial state provided by an embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 The schematic diagram of the structure of the torpedo anchor in the first-stage extended state;

[0025] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A partial enlarged view of the

[0026] Figure 4 It is a cross-sectional view of two sub-anchor bodies nested in each other;

[0027] In the figure: 1-anchor body; 101-sub-anchor body; 2-anchor head; 3-slide; 4-slider; 5-locking structure; 501-slot; 502-elastic column; 6-top plate; 7-inflatable airbag; 8-sealing ring; 9-powder; 10-electrically controlled igniter; 11-delay controller; 12-limiting member; 13-wire; 14-anchor chain; 15-tail. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] The following will clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a torpedo anchor and a method of using the same to solve the problems existing in the prior art and to have good structural stability and high reliability.

[0030] In order to make the above-mentioned objects, features and advantages of the present invention more obvious and easy to understand, the present invention is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0031] The following combination Figures 1 to 4 , describing embodiments of the present invention.

[0032] Example 1

[0033] An embodiment of the present invention provides a torpedo anchor, comprising: an anchor body 1, an anchor head 2, an inflatable airbag 7, and an electronically controlled igniter 10. The anchor body 1 comprises a plurality of sub-anchor bodies 101 nested in sequence. Any two sub-anchor bodies 101 nested in each other slide together along the axial direction. There is a receiving space between the top plates 6 of any two sub-anchor bodies 101 nested in each other. Any two sub-anchor bodies 101 nested in each other have a storage state and an extended state. Any two sub-anchor bodies 101 nested in each other can slide relative to each other to switch from the storage state to the extended state. The anchor head 2 is fixedly connected to the bottom of the innermost sub-anchor body 101. The anchor head 2 is used to guide the fish during penetration into the formation and subsequent work. The direction of the torpedo anchor; the inflatable airbag 7 is used to place the explosive agent 9; the inflatable airbag 7 is provided in the accommodating space; the inflatable airbag 7 has a contracted state and an expanded state; the inflatable airbag 7 in the contracted state can reach an expanded state after the agent 9 explodes; the electronically controlled igniter 10 is used to ignite the agent 9; in the initial state, any two adjacent sub-anchor bodies 101 are in the stored state, and the inflatable airbag 7 is in the contracted state; after the torpedo anchor penetrates the bottom layer, the electronically controlled igniter 10 is used to ignite the agent 9 and make the inflatable airbag 7 reach the expanded state, while driving the two nested sub-anchor bodies 101 to slide relative to each other and reach the extended state.

[0034] The present invention adopts the air bag expansion impact method to lengthen the length of the torpedo anchor after it penetrates the formation, thereby increasing the contact area and friction between the torpedo anchor and the formation, and significantly improving the pull-out bearing capacity of the torpedo anchor. In addition, the sub-anchor bodies 101 in the present application have a simple matching structure and high stability, and do not require a complex mechanical structure. As a result, the torpedo anchor can maintain good stability while extending in the bottom layer. In addition, the impact force generated by the explosion of the agent 9 is large, which can overcome the resistance in the formation, thereby allowing the device to extend well in the formation.

[0035] Compared with the existing traditional mechanical stretching solution, the present application utilizes the impact force generated by the expansion of the airbag to expand the cylinder, which has a simple structure and higher reliability.

[0036] Compared with the existing anchor body surface improvement solutions, the present application significantly increases the contact area and friction with the stratum by spreading the sub-anchor body 101 layer by layer, and the pull-out bearing capacity is more significantly improved.

[0037] Compared with the grouting reinforcement scheme, the present invention adopts the air bag expansion impact method, which is relatively simple to operate and has controllable costs.

[0038] To sum up, the torpedo anchor proposed in this application adopts the airbag expansion impact method to increase the length of the torpedo anchor. Through the unique airbag expansion impact principle, it can not only effectively increase the length of the torpedo anchor and expand the contact area with the formation, but also improve the pull-out bearing capacity while ensuring the stability of the overall structure. It solves the problems of the existing technology from a global and comprehensive perspective, and provides a more reliable and efficient solution for marine engineering anchoring, which is significantly innovative and practical.

[0039] For the convenience of description, any two sub-anchor bodies 101 nested with each other are defined as an inner sub-anchor body and an outer sub-anchor body, and the inner sub-anchor body is nested inside the outer sub-anchor body.

[0040] In some embodiments, any two mutually nested sub-anchor bodies 101 are slidably matched via the slideway 3 and the slider 4 .

[0041] This embodiment provides a sliding fit method. Specifically, the slideway 3 can be set on the inner wall of the outer anchor body or the outer wall of the inner anchor body, and the slider 4 is correspondingly set on the outer wall of the inner anchor body or the inner wall of the outer anchor body. In other examples, the slider 4 can also be a slide bar.

[0042] In some examples, three slideways 3 and three sliders 4 are provided, and the three slideways 3 and the three sliders 4 are arranged at equal intervals of 120°. This example is used to improve the sliding stability.

[0043] In some embodiments, the reagent 9 is a mixture of guanidine nitrate and copper oxide, with a mass ratio of guanidine nitrate to copper oxide of 2:1, and the expansion is achieved by triggering a chemical reaction through an electronically controlled igniter 10 to generate gas.

[0044] In some embodiments, the inflatable airbag 7 is a foldable rubber airbag.

[0045] In some embodiments, the present invention further comprises a locking structure 5 , and after any two mutually nested sub-anchor bodies 101 reach an extended state, the locking structure 5 can lock the relative positions of any two mutually nested sub-anchor bodies 101 .

[0046] The locking structure 5 in this embodiment can improve the stability of the anchor body 1 in the extended state.

[0047] The locking structure 5 can specifically adopt the following solutions:

[0048] The outer wall of the inner anchor body is provided with an elastic post 502, and the inner wall of the outer anchor body is provided with a locking groove 501. The locking groove 501 is located near the bottom of the outer anchor body, and the elastic post 502 is located near the top of the inner anchor body. The inner anchor body slides relative to the outer anchor body, driving the elastic post 502 to move along a first path. The locking groove 501 is located at the end of the first path. When the elastic post 502 moves to face the locking groove 501, the elastic post 502 extends and enters the locking groove 501. Of course, any other locking structure 5 can also be used, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0049] The above-mentioned elastic column 502 is a columnar structure with a telescopic function. The present invention is preferably a combination of a rigid column and a spring. A mounting hole is provided on the outer wall of the inner anchor body. The spring and the rigid column are sequentially installed in the mounting hole, and at least part of the rigid column extends from the mounting hole. Under normal circumstances, under the limiting action inside the outer anchor body, the rigid column is inserted deeper into the mounting hole, so that the spring is in a compressed state. When the rigid column moves to face the slot 501, the rigid column extends under the elastic force of the spring and enters the slot 501, thereby achieving the purpose of locking the outer anchor body and the inner anchor body.

[0050] In some embodiments, the locking slot 501 is disposed at 3 / 5 to 4 / 5 of the length of the outer anchor body to prevent over-extension and lock the extended length.

[0051] In some embodiments, the present invention further includes a delay controller 11 , which can delay the control of the electronically controlled igniter 10 to ignite the reagent 9 .

[0052] This embodiment can achieve delayed deployment of the torpedo anchor, and thus can achieve deployment after the torpedo anchor is inserted into the formation, and can achieve step-by-step deployment. Assuming that the outermost layer and the outer layer of the sub-anchor body 101 achieve the first stage expansion, then after the torpedo anchor is inserted into the formation, the reagents 9 in the torpedo anchor are controlled to explode in sequence to achieve the first stage expansion, the second stage expansion, the third stage expansion... in sequence.

[0053] In some embodiments, a sealing ring 8 is provided in the annular gap between any two adjacent sub-anchor bodies 101 .

[0054] This embodiment can prevent muddy water from flowing into the annular gap between two adjacent sub-anchor bodies 101, and the pre-compression amount of the sealing ring 8 is 15%-20%.

[0055] In some embodiments, the inflatable airbag 7 in the inflated state has a cylindrical structure.

[0056] In some embodiments, except for the innermost sub-anchor body 101, the inner walls of the remaining sub-anchor bodies 101 are provided with limiting members 12. The limiting members 12 are arranged close to the top plate 6 of the sub-anchor bodies 101. The ends of the limiting members 12 of any two nested sub-anchor bodies 101, which are away from the inner wall of the outer sub-anchor body, are located in the cylindrical space where the outer wall of the inner sub-anchor body is located.

[0057] The limiting member 12 in this embodiment is used to limit the inner anchor body from moving further toward the inside of the outer anchor body, so that there is a space for placing the inflatable airbag 7 between the outer anchor body and the inner anchor body.

[0058] In some examples, the limiting member 12 may be a block structure or an annular structure. When it is an annular structure, the inner diameter of the annular limiting plate in any sub-anchor body 101 is smaller than the outer diameter of another sub-anchor body 101 nested inside the sub-anchor body 101.

[0059] In some embodiments, the anchor body 1 preferably includes 3 to 4 sub-anchor bodies 101 .

[0060] In some embodiments, the sub-anchor body 101 is substantially cylindrical.

[0061] Example 2

[0062] An embodiment of the present invention provides a method for using the torpedo anchor described in Embodiment 1, comprising:

[0063] Inspection: Before launching, thoroughly check the connection and function of all parts of the torpedo anchor;

[0064] Dropping: At the designated target location, the torpedo anchor is hoisted with the working anchor chain 14 and dropped, and the torpedo anchor finally sinks to the designated location;

[0065] Extension: The delay controller 11 controls the electronically controlled igniter 10 from top to bottom to ignite the reagent 9.

[0066] This embodiment adopts the air bag expansion impact method to lengthen the length of the torpedo anchor after it penetrates the formation, thereby increasing the contact area and friction between the torpedo anchor and the formation, and significantly improving the pull-out bearing capacity of the torpedo anchor. In addition, the sub-anchor bodies 101 in the present application have a simple matching structure and high stability, and do not require a complex mechanical structure. As a result, the torpedo anchor can maintain good stability while extending in the bottom layer. In addition, the impact force generated by the explosion of the agent 9 is large, which can overcome the resistance in the formation, thereby allowing the device to extend well in the formation.

[0067] In some embodiments, the delay time difference between the delay controllers 11 in any two adjacent accommodation spaces is 100-150 seconds.

[0068] After the explosion of the agent 9, the extension of two adjacent sub-anchor bodies 101 can be completed within 3 seconds. However, it is necessary to remain stationary for 97 to 147 seconds to stabilize the unstable stratum caused by the explosion impact, thereby improving the pull-out bearing capacity of the torpedo anchor and preventing the torpedo anchor from coming out of the stratum when the next level explodes.

[0069] The specific embodiments are as follows:

[0070] Preparation and deployment: Before deployment, thoroughly check the connection and function of all components of the torpedo anchor at the designated target location. Once confirmed, hoist the torpedo anchor with the working anchor chain 14 and deploy it, allowing it to sink to the predetermined formation position.

[0071] Start the expansion process: After the torpedo anchor penetrates the formation, a preload of 20-30 kN is applied through the working anchor chain 14, activating the delay controller 11 and then starting the inflatable airbag 7.

[0072] like Figure 2 As shown, the first-stage inflatable airbag works: the delay controller 11 triggers the electronically controlled igniter 10 in a preset sequence. The first-stage inflatable airbag completes expansion within 3 seconds after being triggered. The strong thrust generated pushes the top plate 6 of the inner sub-anchor body 101 away from the top plate 6 of the outer sub-anchor body 101. The inner sub-anchor body 101 slides along the slideway 3 and is locked by the locking structure 5 after moving to the extended state. At this time, the movement of the sub-anchor body 101 is 4 / 5 of the length of the sub-anchor body 101.

[0073] Subsequent airbags operate sequentially: Each subsequent level of inflatable airbags 7, controlled by the delay controller 11, is triggered to inflate at intervals of 100-150 seconds until the desired anchoring length is reached. During this process, each inflated airbag pushes against the adjacent top plate 6, thereby gradually expanding the adjacent sub-anchor bodies 101. As the length of the torpedo anchor increases, its contact area with the ground and its frictional force increase, significantly improving its pullout bearing capacity. Once all airbags are fully inflated and locked, the torpedo anchor's tensile anchoring process is complete.

[0074] The present invention uses specific examples to illustrate the principles and implementation methods of the present invention. The above examples are only intended to help understand the method and core concept of the present invention. At the same time, those skilled in the art will find that the specific implementation methods and application scopes may vary based on the concept of the present invention. In summary, the contents of this specification should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

Claims

1. A torpedo anchor, characterized by: include: An anchor body, the anchor body comprising a plurality of sub-anchor bodies nested in sequence, any two sub-anchor bodies nested in each other slidingly cooperate along the axial direction, an accommodation space being provided between the top plates of any two sub-anchor bodies nested in each other, and any two sub-anchor bodies nested in each other having a stowed state and an extended state, and any two sub-anchor bodies nested in each other can slide relative to each other to switch from the stowed state to the extended state; An anchor head, fixedly connected to the bottom of the innermost sub-anchor body; An inflatable airbag, wherein an explosive agent is placed in the inflatable airbag; the inflatable airbag is arranged in the accommodating space; the inflatable airbag has a contracted state and an inflated state; the inflatable airbag in the contracted state can be expanded after the agent explodes; An electronically controlled igniter, used to ignite the reagent; In the initial state, any two adjacent sub-anchor bodies are in a retracted state, and the inflatable airbag is in a contracted state; after the torpedo anchor penetrates the bottom layer, the electronically controlled igniter is used to ignite the agent and make the inflatable airbag reach an inflated state, while driving the two nested sub-anchor bodies to slide relative to each other and reach an extended state.

2. The torpedo anchor according to claim 1, characterized in that: Any two mutually nested sub-anchor bodies are slidably matched via the slideway and the slider.

3. The torpedo anchor according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a locking structure, which can lock the relative positions of any two sub-anchor bodies that are nested with each other after they reach the extended state.

4. The torpedo anchor according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a delay controller, which can delay the control of the electronically controlled igniter to ignite the medicine.

5. The torpedo anchor according to claim 1, characterized in that: A sealing ring is provided in the annular gap between any two adjacent sub-anchor bodies.

6. The torpedo anchor according to claim 1, characterized in that: The inflatable airbag in the inflated state has a cylindrical structure.

7. The torpedo anchor according to claim 1, characterized in that: Except for the innermost sub-anchor body, the inner walls of the remaining sub-anchor bodies are all provided with limiting members, and the limiting members are arranged close to the top plates of the sub-anchor bodies. The ends of the limiting members of any two sub-anchor bodies nested with each other, which are away from the inner wall of the outer sub-anchor body, are located in the cylindrical space where the outer wall of the inner sub-anchor body is located.

8. The torpedo anchor according to claim 1, characterized in that: Any two sub-anchor bodies nested in each other include an inner sub-anchor body and an outer sub-anchor body, the outer wall of the inner sub-anchor body is provided with an elastic column, the inner wall of the outer sub-anchor body is provided with a clamping groove, the clamping groove is provided close to the bottom of the outer sub-anchor body, and the elastic column is provided close to the top of the inner sub-anchor body, the inner sub-anchor body slides relative to the outer sub-anchor body to drive the elastic column to move along a first path, the clamping groove is provided at the end of the first path, and when the elastic column moves to face the clamping groove, the elastic column extends and enters the clamping groove.

9. A method for using the torpedo anchor according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that: include: Inspection: Before launching, thoroughly check the connection and function of all parts of the torpedo anchor; Dropping: At the designated target location, the torpedo anchor is hoisted with a working anchor chain and dropped, and the torpedo anchor eventually sinks to the designated location; Extension: The electronically controlled igniter is controlled from top to bottom in sequence by a time delay controller to ignite the agent.

10. The method for using a torpedo anchor according to claim 9, characterized in that: The delay time difference between the delay controllers in any two adjacent accommodating spaces is 100-150 seconds.

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