Ships capable of natural seawater circulation

Abstract

The present invention relates to a ship capable of natural circulation of seawater by allowing ballast water to flow in depending on the loading state of liquid cargo. In one embodiment of the present invention, a ship capable of natural circulation of seawater is provided, which includes a cargo hold in which liquid cargo is loaded, ballast water storage tanks arranged in a multi-layer structure around the cargo hold and storing ballast water, a sea chest having a seawater inlet and formed in the hull to allow seawater to flow in, and a seawater inflow control device installed in the cargo hold and the ballast water storage tank, which controls the opening and closing of the seawater inlet depending on the loading state of the liquid cargo, and allows or blocks the flow of seawater into the ballast water storage tank by opening and closing the seawater inlet.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a ship capable of natural circulation of seawater, and more particularly, to a ship capable of natural circulation of seawater that allows ballast water to flow in according to the loading state of liquid cargo.

Background Art

[0002] Generally, large ships are designed to be able to load cargo of a considerable weight. Therefore, in such large ships, when the cargo loaded is below the standard weight or in an unloaded state, the depth (draft) at which the hull sinks below the water surface becomes small. However, the decrease in draft destabilizes the left - right balance state of the ship and causes the propeller to be exposed above the water surface, thus interfering with the stable and economical operation of the ship.

[0003] For this reason, large ships have a ballast water treatment measure so that the buoyancy of the ship can be adjusted according to the weight of the loaded cargo. The ballast water treatment measure allows seawater (usually called ballast water) to flow into the ballast water tank inside the ship or discharges the seawater inside the ballast water tank to the outside to keep the draft of the large ship constant.

[0004] Conventional ballast water treatment measures have the nuisance that operators must continuously or periodically monitor for conditions that change at any time. Each time the working conditions of the operator change, based on the monitoring results, it is necessary to determine how much ballast water to supply or discharge to the ballast water tank arranged inside the ship and adjust the pump and valve connected to the ballast water tank respectively, which is a problem.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a vessel that allows for natural circulation of seawater by introducing ballast water according to the loading state of liquid cargo.

[0007] Furthermore, the technical problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a vessel capable of natural seawater circulation, which can control the opening and closing timing of the seawater inlet by varying the shape of the hollow heavy object or the length of the cylinder according to the state of liquid cargo loading.

[0008] Furthermore, the technical problem that this invention aims to solve is to provide a vessel that allows for natural circulation of seawater, and in which the seawater inflow control device can be installed in various locations by forming the cylinder case into various shapes.

[0009] The technical problems that this invention aims to solve are not limited to those mentioned above, and any other technical problems not mentioned should be clearly understood by a person with ordinary skill in the art to which this invention pertains from the following description. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] To solve the above technical problems, one embodiment of the present invention provides a vessel capable of natural seawater circulation, which includes a cargo hold on which liquid cargo is loaded, a ballast water storage tank arranged in a multi-layer structure around the cargo hold for storing ballast water, a sea chest having a seawater inlet and formed in the hull to allow seawater inflow, and a seawater inflow control device installed in the cargo hold and the ballast water storage tank, which controls the opening and closing of the seawater inlet according to the loading state of the liquid cargo, and allows or blocks seawater from flowing into the ballast water storage tank by opening and closing the seawater inlet.

[0011] In embodiments of the present invention, the seawater inflow control device may include a hollow weight placed in the cargo hold and floating according to the loading state of the liquid cargo; an opening / closing member placed in the sea chest and controlling the opening and closing of the seawater inlet; and a cylinder module connecting the hollow weight and the opening / closing member to move the opening / closing member according to the loading state of the liquid cargo.

[0012] In embodiments of the present invention, the cylinder module may include a piston and a bidirectional piston rod connecting the hollow weight and the opening / closing member, and a cylinder case housing the piston.

[0013] In embodiments of the present invention, the cylinder module may include a first piston and a first piston rod coupled to the hollow heavy object, a second piston and a second piston rod coupled to the opening / closing member, and a cylinder case that houses the first piston and the second piston and interposes a power transmission material consisting of a compressible fluid such as air or an incompressible fluid such as hydraulic oil in the space between the first piston and the second piston.

[0014] In embodiments of the present invention, the cylinder case is formed in at least one of the following forms: straight, curved, or bent, and can be connected to the cargo hold.

[0015] In embodiments of the present invention, the sea chest is positioned on the side or bottom of the hull and the opening direction of the seawater inlet is formed to the side or upward, and the cylinder module can be configured such that the opening / closing member opens and closes the seawater inlet, with at least one of the following being set: the shape of the cylinder case, the direction of movement of the hollow weight, and the direction of movement of the opening / closing member.

[0016] In an embodiment of the present invention, the seawater inflow control device can control the timing of opening and closing the seawater inlet according to the loading state of the liquid cargo by changing at least one of the shape of the hollow heavy object and the length of the cylinder module.

[0017] In an embodiment of the present invention, the seawater inflow control device can shut off the inflow of seawater when the liquid cargo is loaded above the upper end of the hollow heavy object, and can start the inflow of seawater when the liquid cargo is loaded or unloaded below the lower end of the hollow heavy object.

[0018] In embodiments of the present invention, the vessel may further include a one-way pressure reducing check valve installed in the ballast water storage tank at a set position to discharge seawater overboard, and at least one watertight side sill installed along the entire length of the ballast water storage tank. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to embodiments of the present invention, natural circulation of seawater is possible by introducing ballast water according to the loading state of liquid cargo. Therefore, the vessel can be operated with an appropriate draft without continuous monitoring or control by operators, which has the advantage of enabling stable and economical operation.

[0020] Furthermore, according to embodiments of the present invention, by varying the shape of the hollow heavy object or the length of the cylinder depending on the loading state of the liquid cargo, it is possible to provide a vessel that allows for natural circulation of seawater, and in which the opening and closing timing of the seawater inlet can be controlled.

[0021] Furthermore, according to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide a vessel that allows for natural circulation of seawater, by forming the cylinder case in various shapes so that the seawater inflow control device can be installed in various locations.

[0022] The effects of the present invention are not limited to the above-described effects, and should be understood to include all effects that can be inferred from the configuration of the invention described in the detailed description or claims of the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023] [Figure 1] It is a diagram showing a central cross-section of a ship capable of natural circulation of seawater according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] It is a diagram showing a side view of a ship capable of natural circulation of seawater according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] It is a diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of a seawater inflow control device in FIG. 1. FIG. 3(A) is a diagram showing a state where liquid cargo is loaded, and FIG. 3(B) is a diagram showing an empty hold state (ballast water loading state). [Figure 4] It is a diagram showing a cross-sectional structure of a seawater inflow control device in FIG. 1. FIG. 4(A) is a diagram showing a state where liquid cargo is loaded, and FIG. 4(B) is a diagram showing an empty hold state (ballast water loading state). [Figure 5] It is a diagram showing pipes together to explain the overall system in a ship capable of natural circulation of seawater according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] It is a diagram exemplarily showing an application example of a standard change of a seawater inflow control device according to the size of a ship. [Figure 7] It is a diagram exemplarily showing an application example of a standard change of a seawater inflow control device according to the size of a ship. [Figure 8] It is a diagram exemplarily showing an application example of a structural change for installing a seawater inflow control device according to an embodiment of the present invention in various locations. [Figure 9] It is a diagram exemplarily showing an application example of a structural change for installing a seawater inflow control device according to an embodiment of the present invention in various locations. [Figure 10] It is a diagram exemplarily showing an application example of a structural change for installing a seawater inflow control device according to an embodiment of the present invention in various locations. [Figure 11]This figure illustrates an example of applying a structural modification to install a seawater inflow control device according to one embodiment of the present invention in various locations. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0024] The present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. However, the present invention can be embodied in various different forms and is therefore not limited to the embodiments described herein. In order to clearly illustrate the present invention, parts unrelated to the description have been omitted from the drawings, and similar parts throughout the specification are denoted by the same reference numerals.

[0025] Figure 1 shows a central cross-section of a vessel capable of natural seawater circulation according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows a projected side view of the vessel capable of natural seawater circulation according to one embodiment of the present invention. Figures 3 and 4 show the cross-sectional structure of the seawater inflow control device in Figure 1.

[0026] Referring to Figures 1 to 4, a vessel 10 capable of natural seawater circulation according to one embodiment of the present invention may include a cargo hold 100 for loading liquid cargo, a ballast water storage tank 200 arranged in an upper and lower multi-layer structure around the cargo hold 100 for storing ballast water, a sea chest 300 formed in the hull to allow seawater inflow and having a seawater inlet 310, a seawater inflow control device 400 installed in the cargo hold 100 and the ballast water storage tank 200 to control the opening and closing of the seawater inlet 310 according to the loading state of liquid cargo, and to allow or block seawater from flowing into the ballast water storage tank 200 by opening and closing the seawater inlet 310, a one-way pressure reducing check valve 500 installed in the ballast water storage tank 200 at a set position to discharge seawater overboard, and at least one watertight girder 600 installed along the entire length of the ballast water storage tank 200.

[0027] Here, the seawater inflow control device 400 may include a hollow heavy object 410 that is placed in the cargo hold 100 and floats according to the loading state of the liquid cargo, an opening / closing member 440 that is placed in the sea chest 300 and controls the opening and closing of the seawater inlet 310, and a cylinder module 415 that connects the hollow heavy object 410 and the opening / closing member 440 and moves the opening / closing member 440 according to the loading state of the liquid cargo.

[0028] The cylinder module 415, in the first embodiment shown in Figure 3, may include a piston 420 connecting a hollow weight 410 and an opening / closing member 440, and a cylinder case 430 housing the piston 420 inside. In this case, the piston 420 can be integrally formed to connect the hollow weight 410 and the opening / closing member 440 and housed inside the cylinder case 430. The piston 420 can move the opening / closing member 440 up and down by the levitation (up and down movement) of the hollow weight 410 according to the loading state of the liquid cargo.

[0029] Furthermore, in the second embodiment shown in Figure 4, the cylinder module 415 may include a first piston 422 and a first piston rod 422a coupled to a hollow heavy object 410, a second piston 424 and a second piston rod 424a coupled to an opening / closing member 440, and a cylinder case 430 that houses the first piston 422 and the second piston 424, with a power transmission material 450, consisting of a compressible fluid such as air or an incompressible fluid such as hydraulic oil, interposed in the space between the first piston 422 and the second piston 424. In this case, depending on the loading state of the liquid cargo, the first piston 422 can move the second piston 424 coupled to the opening / closing member 440 up and down by pressing the space between the hollow heavy object 410 and the power transmission material 450. As described above, in the second embodiment, if the power transmission material 450 is interposed inside the cylinder case 430, the outflow of the liquid cargo can be prevented.

[0030] Here, the hollow heavy object 410 may have a volume set to generate buoyancy when loaded with liquid cargo. Furthermore, when empty, the hollow heavy object 410 may have a weight set to allow seawater to flow in under the buoyancy generated by the second piston 424 connected to the opening / closing member 440 and the dynamic pressure of seawater generated during ship operation.

[0031] The opening / closing member 440 may include an elastic polymeric material, such as an elastomer, and can control the opening and closing of the seawater inlet 310 by moving up and down, thereby blocking the inflow of seawater (watertight) or allowing seawater to flow in (unwatertight). For example, as shown in Figures 3 to 4(A), when liquid cargo is loaded into the cargo hold 100, the hollow heavy object 410 generates buoyancy, which can raise the piston 420 and the opening / closing member 440 upwards. The raised opening / closing member 440 can then contact the sea chest 300 and block the inflow of seawater. At this time, the liquid cargo can provide sufficient ballast water.

[0032] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 3 to 4(B), when the loaded liquid cargo is loaded or unloaded, the hollow heavy object 410 loses its buoyancy, generating its own weight in the direction of gravity. This weight pulls the piston 420 and the opening / closing member 440 downwards in the direction of gravity, and the opening / closing member 440, pulled downwards in the direction of gravity, separates from the sea chest 300, allowing seawater to flow in. The ballast water can then be regulated by the incoming seawater.

[0033] Furthermore, the cylinder case 430 can be formed in at least one of the following shapes: straight, curved, or bent, and connected to the cargo hold 100. The shapes of the cylinder case 430 will be described later with reference to Figures 8 to 11.

[0034] Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the overall system in a vessel capable of natural seawater circulation according to one embodiment of the present invention, including the piping.

[0035] Referring to Figure 5, the natural circulation process of seawater in a ship can be explained as follows: In the empty cargo hold state, the natural seawater inflow state, and the natural seawater circulation state, first (1) in the empty cargo hold state, the opening / closing member 440 and the sea chest 300 are separated, and seawater can flow in via the seawater inflow control device 400. The seawater can flow into the lower ballast water storage tank 200 until the ship's weight and buoyancy match (for example, Archimedes' principle), or up to the watertight ship's transverse beam 600.

[0036] (2) Seawater that flows into the lower ballast water storage tank 200 can be moved via piping 700 to the engine room 800, which includes a heat exchanger, and used as non-potable water (for example, cooling water for heat exchange). Only the seawater that has moved to the engine room 800 can be transferred from outside the ship via the seawater inflow control device 400 to the lower ballast water storage tank 200.

[0037] (3) Seawater that has passed through the engine room 800 can be moved to the upper ballast water storage tank 200 via the piping 700.

[0038] (4) When the upper ballast water storage tank 200 continues to fill with seawater and reaches the set pressure, the one-way pressure reducing check valve 500 can be opened and the seawater can be discharged overboard.

[0039] Steps (1) through (4) can be carried out naturally, continuously, and sustainably. However, pumps may be necessary in some cases when moving seawater.

[0040] Next, in the cargo-loaded state and the seawater inflow-blocked state, the opening / closing member 440 and the sea chest 300 come into contact, blocking the inflow of seawater, and the piping 700 from (1) to (4) can also be closed.

[0041] In addition, (5) seawater can be brought in through the sea chest in the engine room and used as non-potable water. (6) The seawater used as non-potable water can be discharged overboard.

[0042] Figures 6 and 7 illustrate examples of applications for changing the specifications of the seawater inflow control device according to the size of the vessel. The seawater inflow control device 400 can shut off seawater inflow when liquid cargo is loaded above the upper end H of the hollow heavy object 410, and start seawater inflow when liquid cargo is loaded or unloaded below the lower end L of the hollow heavy object 410. In other words, the seawater inflow control device 400 can control the opening and closing timing of the seawater inlet 310 according to the loading state of the liquid cargo by changing at least one of the shapes of the hollow heavy object 410 and the length of the cylinder module 415.

[0043] Here, Figure 6 shows an example of an application suitable for crude oil carriers of Aframx class or smaller, or chemical product carriers (PCs), where partial loading is frequent, while Figure 7 shows an example of an application suitable for crude oil carriers of Aframx class or larger (Aframx, Suezmax, VLCC class), which mainly operate in a fully loaded or empty state.

[0044] Figures 8 to 11 illustrate examples of structural modifications applied to install a seawater inflow control device according to one embodiment of the present invention in various locations.

[0045] Referring to Figures 8 to 11, the seawater inflow control device 400 may include a cylinder case 430 with a power transmission material 450 interposed inside, as in the second embodiment described above, for installation in various locations.

[0046] Here, the sea chest 300 can be positioned on the side or bottom of the hull, and the opening direction of the seawater inlet 310 can be formed to the side or upward.

[0047] Furthermore, the cylinder module 415 can be configured such that the opening / closing member 440 opens and closes the seawater inlet 310 in accordance with the opening direction of the seawater inlet 310, with at least one of the following being set: the shape of the cylinder case 430, the direction of movement of the hollow weight 410, and the direction of movement of the opening / closing member 440.

[0048] For example, as shown in Figure 8, when the cylinder case 430 is installed in a double bottom (inner bottom plate, outer bottom plate), the cylinder case 430 is formed in a linear shape, and the vertical force generated by the vertically moving hollow weight 410 causes the opening / closing member 440 to move up and down, so that both the hollow weight 410 and the opening / closing member 440 can move up and down.

[0049] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 9, when the cylinder case 430 is installed on the ship's side, the cylinder case 430 is formed in a bent shape, allowing the hollow heavy object 410 to move up and down, and the opening / closing member 440 to move left and right.

[0050] However, the M position of the cylinder case 430 in Figure 8 and the M position of the cylinder case 430 in Figure 9 are welded structures, and there is a possibility of oil leakage due to welded joints (cracks, etc.). Therefore, as shown in Figures 10 and 11, the N position of the cylinder case 430 can be repositioned to significantly reduce the possibility of oil leakage.

[0051] In Figures 10 and 11, the cylinder case 430 is formed in a bent shape, and by changing the position of the cylinder case 430 connected to the cargo hold 100, the hollow heavy object 410 can move up and down, and the opening / closing member 440 can move left and right. At this time, the opening direction of the seawater inlet 310 of the sea chest 300 is formed to the side, and opening and closing can be controlled by the movement of the opening / closing member 440.

[0052] In Figure 10, when liquid cargo is loaded into the cargo hold 100, the hollow heavy object 410 is lifted upward by buoyancy, and the opening / closing member 440 moves to the right, sealing the seawater inlet 310 of the sea chest 300 to prevent seawater from flowing in.

[0053] In Figure 11, when the cargo hold 100 is empty or loaded with a small amount, the seawater inlet 310 of the sea chest 300 can be opened so that the hollow heavy object 410 does not rise upward due to buoyancy, and the weight of the hollow heavy object 410 causes the opening / closing member 440 to move to the left, allowing seawater to flow in.

[0054] According to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide a vessel that allows for natural circulation of seawater, which involves introducing ballast water depending on the loading state of liquid cargo.

[0055] Furthermore, according to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide a vessel capable of natural seawater circulation, in which the opening and closing timing of the seawater inlet can be controlled by varying the shape of the hollow heavy object or the length of the cylinder depending on the loading state of the liquid cargo.

[0056] Furthermore, according to embodiments of the present invention, it is possible to provide a vessel that allows for natural circulation of seawater, by forming the cylinder case in various shapes so that the seawater inflow control device can be installed in various locations.

[0057] The above description of the present invention is illustrative, and a person with ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains will understand that it can be easily modified into other specific forms without departing from the technical idea or spirit of the invention. Therefore, the embodiments described above should be understood to be illustrative and not limiting in all respects. For example, each component described as a single type may be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, components described as distributed may be implemented in a combined manner.

[0058] The scope of this invention is defined by the claims described below, and all modifications or altered forms derived from the meaning and scope of the claims, as well as the concept of equivalents thereof, should be interpreted as being included within the scope of this invention. [Industrial applicability]

[0059] The vessel capable of natural seawater circulation according to the present invention can operate at an appropriate draft without continuous monitoring or control by operators by allowing or blocking the inflow of ballast water depending on the loading state of liquid cargo, thereby enabling stable and economical operation, and thus has very high industrial applicability.

Claims

1. A cargo hold (100) where liquid cargo is loaded, A ballast water storage tank (200) is arranged in a multi-layered structure around the cargo hold (100) to store ballast water, A sea chest (300) is formed in the hull to allow seawater to flow in, and has a seawater inlet (310). A seawater inflow control device (400) is installed in the cargo hold (100) and the ballast water storage tank (200) and controls the opening and closing of the seawater inlet (310) according to the loading state of the liquid cargo, thereby allowing or blocking seawater from flowing into the ballast water storage tank (200) by opening and closing the seawater inlet (310), Includes, The seawater inflow control device (400) is A hollow heavy object (410) is placed in the cargo hold (100) and floats over the liquid cargo depending on the loading state of the liquid cargo, An opening / closing member (440) is positioned in the sea chest (300) and controls the opening and closing of the seawater inlet (310), A cylinder module (415) connects the hollow heavy object (410) and the opening / closing member (440) to move the opening / closing member (440) according to the loading state of the liquid cargo, A vessel capable of natural circulation of seawater, characterized by including [a specific feature].

2. The cylinder module (415) is A piston (420) and a bidirectional piston rod (420a) connect the hollow heavy object (410) and the opening / closing member (440), A cylinder case (430) that houses the piston (420) inside, A vessel capable of natural circulation of seawater as described in claim 1, characterized by including the following:

3. The cylinder module (415) is A first piston (422) and a first piston rod (422a) are coupled to the hollow heavy object (410), The opening / closing member (440) is coupled to a second piston (424) and a second piston rod (424a), A cylinder case (430) housing the first piston (422) and the second piston (424) inside, with a power transmission material (450) consisting of a compressible or incompressible fluid interposed in the space between the first piston (422) and the second piston (424), A vessel capable of natural circulation of seawater as described in claim 1, characterized by including the following:

4. The vessel capable of natural circulation of seawater according to claim 3, characterized in that the cylinder case (430) is formed in at least one of the following shapes: straight, curved, or bent, one end of which is connected to a cargo hold (100), and the other end of which is connected to a ballast water storage tank (200).

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