Support column locking submarine cable turntable system for deep-sea construction vessels

Abstract

This invention discloses a support column locking type submarine cable swivel system for deep-sea construction vessels, comprising a rotating cable carrier swivel, a cable swivel support and fixing system, a pressure-bearing column locking device, and a column lifting hydraulic cylinder. This system, through the support column locking mechanism, directly transfers the static / dynamic load of a fully loaded cable swivel to the pressure deck of the hull under harsh sea conditions, avoiding overload damage to traditional hydraulic support rollers. The rotating cable carrier swivel is equipped with a liftable cable swivel rotation mechanism, allowing the cable swivel to be raised and detached from the support rollers during the locking phase, and rigidly fixed by the pressure-bearing column locking device. This system enables rapid locking and unlocking, significantly shortening the vessel's state transition time, improving the efficiency of deep-sea operations, and avoiding hydraulic system failure and roller fatigue damage caused by long-term pressure. This invention is applicable to the transportation and laying of submarine cables of tens of thousands of tons, and features high safety and reliability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of marine engineering equipment technology, specifically relating to a submarine cable turntable locking device suitable for large construction vessels, particularly for the transportation and laying operations of submarine cables weighing tens of thousands of tons or more under harsh conditions in deep sea. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of marine engineering, the ocean transport and laying of ultra-large submarine cables with a tonnage of 10,000 tons or more faces numerous technical challenges. The submarine cable turntables equipped on traditional construction vessels are mainly designed for low sea state conditions, and their structure poses significant safety hazards in high sea state transportation environments.

[0003] In existing technologies, submarine cable turntables typically employ a central rotating shaft coupled with a ring-shaped distribution of hydraulically supported rollers to distribute the load. However, during severe shipboard rocking, the multi-directional dynamic load generated by a fully loaded turntable (weighing up to tens of thousands of tons) can lead to the following problems:

[0004] 1. Overload pressure on some hydraulic support rollers caused structural damage;

[0005] 2. After a damaged support roller fails, its load will be redistributed to adjacent rollers, creating a chain reaction of damage.

[0006] 3. In extreme cases, it may damage the entire structure of the turntable, or even endanger the central rotating shaft.

[0007] Currently, the industry commonly uses channel steel welding to fix the cable reel to the deck. This method has the following drawbacks:

[0008] 1. The operation is time-consuming and labor-intensive, affecting construction efficiency;

[0009] 2. Welding heat-affected zone may damage the cable reel structure;

[0010] 3. The locking / unlocking process is cumbersome and cannot quickly switch the operation status.

[0011] Existing related technologies, such as the storage and transport tray for submarine cables in patent document (CN116280631A), although employing a detachable structure, primarily address the issues of large space occupation, high transportation costs, and difficulty in recycling. They do not address the locking of the turntable and load transfer under harsh conditions in deep-sea environments. Furthermore, they cannot cope with the multi-directional dynamic loads generated by severe ship turbulence, resulting in insufficient support stability and making it difficult to ensure the safe transport of submarine cables weighing tens of thousands of tons. The double-turntable cable winding method in patent document (EP3412556A1) mainly focuses on the cable winding process of the submarine cable on the double turntables to achieve longer cable winding and avoid damage during winding. However, it does not solve the problems of locking the turntable and load transfer during transportation. In harsh deep-sea conditions, the inability to effectively secure the turntable also poses safety hazards.

[0012] Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a support column locking submarine cable turntable system for deep-sea construction vessels. This system should have the following characteristics:

[0013] 1. It can reliably lock during the transportation phase, transferring the entire load to the locking device;

[0014] 2. The lock can be quickly released during the construction phase, restoring the working state;

[0015] 3. The process of changing states should avoid damaging the turntable structure. Summary of the Invention

[0016] This invention provides a support column locking type submarine cable turntable system for deep-sea construction vessels. Through an innovative support column locking mechanism, this system can safely transfer the entire load of the turntable to the pressure deck of the hull even in harsh sea conditions, effectively solving the problem of overload damage to traditional hydraulic support rollers under extreme conditions. The system also features rapid state switching, providing rigid support protection during transportation and quickly releasing the lock to restore the turntable's rotation function during laying operations. This significantly improves the transportation safety and construction efficiency of 10,000-ton submarine cables in deep-sea environments.

[0017] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0018] A support column locking submarine cable swivel system for deep-sea construction vessels includes a rotating cable carrier swivel and a cable swivel support and fixing system. The rotating cable carrier swivel carries the submarine cable and enables rotation. The cable swivel support and fixing system supports and fixes the rotating cable swivel, including a column socket fixed to the bottom of the cable swivel, a liftable support column, a pressure-bearing column locking device for locking the support column, and a column lifting hydraulic cylinder for driving the support column to rise and fall. The bottom of the support column is provided with a pressure-bearing engagement ring groove, and the column lifting hydraulic cylinder is located on the bottom pressure deck. The pressure-bearing column locking device consists of a pair of pressure-bearing clamping bodies and clamping body driving cylinders. Each pair of clamping bodies locks a single support column. The top of the clamping body has a column through hole, which clamps the support column when closed, so that the pressure-bearing engagement ring groove is precisely embedded in the through hole. The load is transferred to the second pressure deck through the pressure-bearing engagement surface of the clamping body.

[0019] Furthermore, the rotary cable bearing reel includes a cable reel, a liftable cable reel rotation mechanism, a roller guide rail, support rollers, an outer cable ring, and an inner cable ring; the outer cable ring and the inner cable ring are spaced apart on the upper surface of the cable reel, and the support rollers are evenly arranged circumferentially along the roller guide rail to bear the weight of the cable reel under normal working conditions.

[0020] Furthermore, the liftable cable reel slewing mechanism includes a slewing bearing base fixed to the pressure deck of the construction vessel, a main load-bearing shaft installed in the base, and a lifting bushing nested above the main load-bearing shaft, with the lifting bushing rigidly connected to the bottom of the cable reel.

[0021] Furthermore, the lifting bushing can move up and down along the main load-bearing shaft, so that the cable reel is disengaged from the supporting roller when it is raised.

[0022] Furthermore, the outer cable loop is used to precisely constrain the position of the submarine cable and prevent it from shifting; the inner cable loop is used to control the minimum coiling and bending radius of the submarine cable and prevent it from being damaged by excessive bending.

[0023] Furthermore, the column lifting hydraulic cylinder has the functions of lifting and retracting, and lifts and retracts the support column by lifting the support platform.

[0024] Furthermore, during the transportation of submarine cables, the support column is lifted by the column lifting hydraulic cylinder, inserted into the column socket, and the cable reel is raised, so that the support roller and the main load-bearing shaft are completely unloaded. The pressure clamping body of the pressure-bearing column locking device closes and clamps the support column, realizing the transfer of the static / dynamic load of the cable reel to the pressure deck of the ship through the pressure clamping body.

[0025] Furthermore, the locking phase includes: rotating the cable carrier plate to align the column socket with the support column; activating the column lifting hydraulic cylinder to lift the support column, insert it into the column socket, and raise the cable reel; driving the clamp body to drive the hydraulic cylinder to close the pressure clamp body; and retracting the column lifting hydraulic cylinder to unload the load.

[0026] A locking method for a support column locking type submarine cable turntable system used in deep-sea construction vessels includes the following steps:

[0027] (a) Drive the rotating cable carrier disc to rotate so that the column socket is aligned with the support column;

[0028] (b) Activate the column lifting hydraulic cylinder to lift the support column through the pressure deck passage and insert it into the column socket;

[0029] (c) Continuously raise the support column to move the lifting bushing upward, unload the main load-bearing shaft, and disengage the support roller from the roller guide rail;

[0030] (d) The clamp body drive cylinder pushes the pressure-bearing clamp body to close, ensuring that the pressure-bearing locking ring groove is fully embedded in the clamp body through hole;

[0031] (e) The hydraulic cylinder for lifting the column retracts and unloads the load. The system load is transferred through the supporting column → pressure-bearing locking ring groove → pressure-bearing clamp body → pressure-bearing deck of the hull.

[0032] Furthermore, during unlocking, reverse the operation steps (e)-(a) to allow the load to be borne again by the main load-bearing shaft and the support rollers.

[0033] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0034] The support column locking type submarine cable turntable system for deep-sea construction vessels provided by this invention has the following significant advantages:

[0035] 1. By using the rigid force transmission path formed by the support column and the pressure-bearing meshing surface, the static / dynamic load of the fully loaded cable reel is directly transferred to the pressure deck of the hull, completely avoiding the risk of overload damage to the hydraulic support rollers under severe sea conditions.

[0036] 2. The locking / unlocking operation of the cable reel can be completed in a short time, while the traditional integral welding fixation takes more than 8 hours, which significantly shortens the state change time of the construction vessel and improves the utilization rate of the deep-sea operation window.

[0037] 3. The hydraulic cylinder for lifting the column is completely unloaded after locking, avoiding sealing failure and stiffness degradation caused by long-term pressure; the support rollers are under zero load during transportation, eliminating fatigue damage.

[0038] 4. Reduce downtime losses caused by roller damage; eliminate the thermal impact damage to the cable reel caused by welding lock. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall assembly of the support column locking submarine cable turntable system used on deep-sea construction vessels.

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the support column locking submarine cable turntable system for deep-sea construction vessels of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a column-mounted socket;

[0042] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the cable reel support and fixing system;

[0043] Figure 5 , 6 This is a schematic diagram of a pressure-bearing column locking device;

[0044] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of a pressure-bearing column locking device and a supporting column;

[0045] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the supporting columns;

[0046] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the retracted state of the hydraulic cylinder for lifting the column;

[0047] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the extended state of the hydraulic cylinder for lifting the column;

[0048] Figures 11-12 This is a schematic diagram of the cable reel support and fixing system of the present invention in the unlocked state;

[0049] Figures 13-24 This is a schematic diagram of the locking operation of the cable reel support and fixing system of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0050] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0051] like Figure 1 As shown, the support column locking submarine cable turntable system of the present invention for deep-sea construction vessels is mounted on a large submarine cable construction vessel 700, and in different states, the weight of the rotating cable carrier 100 and the submarine cable 600 is borne by each pressure deck 500.

[0052] like Figure 2 , 3 As shown, the rotating cable carrier 100 carries the submarine cable 600 and is constrained by the outer cable ring 150. The inner cable ring 160 controls the minimum bending radius of the submarine cable 600. The entire cable reel 110 rotates by the liftable cable reel rotation mechanism 120, and the pressure is transmitted to each supporting roller 140 through the roller guide rail 130. The column socket 210 is located at the bottom of the cable reel 110.

[0053] like Figure 4As shown, the cable reel support and fixing system 200 consists of a column socket 210, a support column 220, a pressure-bearing column locking device 300, and a column lifting hydraulic cylinder 400. Each load-bearing component is arranged on each layer of pressure deck 500, and the support column 220 passes through each pressure deck 500 through the support column channel 510.

[0054] like Figure 5 , 6 As shown, the pressure-bearing column locking device 300 consists of a pressure-bearing clamping body 310 and a clamping body driving cylinder 320. The pressure-bearing column locking device 300 is arranged in pairs, with a column support channel 510 on the pressure-bearing deck 500 at the center of each pair, allowing the column support 220 to pass through. The pressure-bearing clamping body 310 of the pressure-bearing column locking device 300 is closed by the clamping body driving cylinder 320, and the closed surface forms a column through hole 311.

[0055] like Figure 7 , 8 As shown, the support column 220 is supported by the lifting bearing platform 410 of the column lifting hydraulic cylinder 400. There is a pressure-bearing locking ring groove 221 near the bottom of the support column 220 for the pressure-bearing clamping body 310 to engage and clamp.

[0056] like Figure 9 , 10 As shown, the column lifting hydraulic cylinder 400 is located on the lowest pressure deck 500 and has the functions of lifting and retracting. It lifts and retracts the support column 220 through the lifting support platform 410.

[0057] like Figure 11 , 12 As shown, in the unlocked state of the cable reel support and fixing system 200, the lifting bushing 123 of the lifting cable reel rotation mechanism 120 is in contact with the main load-bearing rotating shaft 122. At this time, the cable reel 110 of the rotating cable bearing reel 100 transmits the load to the slewing bearing base 121 and the support rollers 140 through the main load-bearing rotating shaft 122 and the roller guide rail 130, and finally acts on the first pressure deck 500. Figure 13 As shown, the cable reel support and fixing system 200 is in the unlocked state at this time, and the support column 220 is in the retracted state, not in contact with or nested with the column socket 210, so it does not affect the rotation operation of the rotary cable carrier reel 100.

[0058] When performing the locking operation, the first step is to align the column socket 210 with the support column 220. This is done by rotating the rotary cable carrier 100 to ensure that the support column 220 and the column socket 210 are on the same axis. Figure 14As shown, the hydraulic cylinder 400 for lifting the bottom column is activated, at which point the support column 220 is inserted into the column socket 210, and the entire rotary cable carrier plate 100 is lifted. After all the support columns 220 are lifted to the predetermined position, as shown... Figure 15 , 16 As shown in Figure 17, the driving clamp body drives the hydraulic cylinder 320, which closes the pressure-bearing clamp body 310 of the pressure-bearing column locking device 300. The column through hole 311 of the pressure-bearing clamp body 310 engages with the pressure-bearing locking ring groove 221 of the supporting column 220, thus completing the locking operation of the pressure-bearing column locking device 300.

[0059] like Figures 18-21 As shown, at this time, the rotating cable bearing plate 100 is fully lifted, and the lifting bushing 123 in the lifting cable reel rotation mechanism 120 is disengaged from the main load-bearing rotating shaft 122. As the roller guide rail 130 at the bottom of the cable reel 110 is lifted, the entire cable reel is also disengaged from the support roller 140.

[0060] like Figures 22-24 As shown, after the pressure-bearing column locking device 300 locks the support column 220, the column lifting hydraulic cylinder 400 retracts, causing the lifting bearing platform 410 to disengage from the support column 220. At this time, the load of the entire cable reel 110 is transferred through the support column 220 to the pressure-bearing meshing surface 312 of the pressure-bearing clamping body 310, and finally to the pressure-bearing deck 500. At this time, the entire cable reel 110 part of the rotating cable bearing reel 100 is rigidly connected to the pressure-bearing deck 500 of the construction vessel 700. The main load-bearing shaft 122 and the support roller 140 are not subjected to external forces, so that they will no longer be damaged by load impact during high sea state transportation.

[0061] Meanwhile, since the bottom column lifting hydraulic cylinder 400 is also disengaged from the support column 220 after the cable reel support fixing system 200 is locked, sealing failure and stiffness degradation caused by long-term pressure are avoided.

[0062] By reversing the steps described above, the unlocking operation of the rotary cable carrier plate 100 can be completed.

Claims

1. A support column locking type submarine cable turntable system for deep-sea construction vessels, characterized in that, The system includes a slewing cable carrier reel and a cable reel support and fixing system. The slewing cable carrier reel carries the submarine cable and enables its rotation. The cable reel support and fixing system supports and fixes the slewing cable reel, including a column socket fixed to the bottom of the cable reel, a liftable support column, a pressure-bearing column locking device for locking the support column, and a column lifting hydraulic cylinder for driving the support column to rise and fall. The bottom of the support column is provided with a pressure-bearing locking ring groove. The support column passes through each pressure-bearing deck through a support column channel. The column lifting hydraulic cylinder is located on the bottom pressure-bearing deck. The pressure-bearing column locking device consists of a pair of pressure-bearing clamping bodies and clamping body driving cylinders. Each pair of clamping bodies locks a single support column. The top of the clamping body has a column through hole, which clamps the support column when closed. The support column ensures precise insertion of the pressure-bearing locking ring groove into the through hole; the load is transferred to the second pressure-bearing deck through the pressure-bearing meshing surface of the clamp body; the slewing cable bearing reel includes a cable reel, a liftable cable reel slewing mechanism, roller guide rails, support rollers, outer cable rings, and inner cable rings; the outer and inner cable rings are spaced apart on the upper surface of the cable reel, and the support rollers are evenly arranged circumferentially along the roller guide rails to bear the weight of the cable reel under normal working conditions; the liftable cable reel slewing mechanism includes a slewing support base fixed to the pressure deck of the construction vessel, a main load-bearing shaft installed in the base, and a lifting bushing nested above the main load-bearing shaft, the lifting bushing being rigidly connected to the bottom of the cable reel; the lifting bushing can move up and down along the main load-bearing shaft, allowing the cable reel to disengage from the support rollers when raised; During submarine cable transportation, the support column is lifted by the hydraulic cylinder of the column lifting mechanism, inserted into the column socket, and the cable reel is raised. This completely unloads the support rollers and the main load-bearing shaft. The pressure clamp of the pressure-bearing column locking device closes and clamps the support column, thus transferring the static / dynamic load of the cable reel to the pressure deck of the ship through the pressure clamp.

2. The support column locking type submarine cable turntable system for deep-sea construction vessels according to claim 1, characterized in that, The outer cable loop is used to precisely constrain the position of the submarine cable and prevent it from deviating. The inner coil is used to control the minimum bending radius of the submarine cable, preventing damage from excessive bending.

3. The support column locking type submarine cable turntable system for deep-sea construction vessels according to claim 1, characterized in that, The column lifting hydraulic cylinder has the functions of lifting and retracting, and lifts and retracts the support column through the lifting support platform.

4. The support column locking type submarine cable turntable system for deep-sea construction vessels according to claim 1, characterized in that, The locking phase includes: rotating the cable carrier plate to align the column socket with the support column; activating the column lifting hydraulic cylinder to lift the support column, insert it into the column socket, and raise the cable reel; driving the clamp body to drive the hydraulic cylinder to close the pressure clamp body; and retracting the column lifting hydraulic cylinder to unload the load.

5. A locking method for a support column locking type submarine cable turntable system for a deep-sea construction vessel according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized in that... This includes the following steps: (a) Drive the rotary cable carrier to rotate so that the column socket is aligned with the support column; (b) Activate the hydraulic cylinder for lifting the column to lift the support column through the pressure deck passage and insert it into the column socket; (c) Continuously raise the support column to move the lifting bushing upward, unload the main load-bearing shaft, and disengage the support roller from the roller guide rail; (d) The clamp body drive cylinder pushes the pressure-bearing clamp body to close, ensuring that the pressure-bearing engagement ring groove is fully embedded in the clamp body through hole; (e) The hydraulic cylinder for lifting the column retracts to unload the load, and the system load is transferred through the supporting column → pressure-bearing locking ring groove → pressure-bearing clamping body → pressure-bearing deck of the hull.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that... When unlocking, reverse the operation steps (e)-(a) to make the load be borne again by the main load-bearing shaft and the support rollers.

Images