A high-pressure water jet device and deep excavation method based on seabed sandy strata

Abstract

This invention provides a high-pressure water jet device and deep excavation method for seabed sandy strata. The trenching machine body includes an axial flow pump, a sand suction pump, a sand discharge pipe, an air lift pipe, a high-pressure water nozzle, a sonar probe, an attitude monitoring instrument, and structures such as a pipe protector, skids, crossbeams, and vertical beams. This invention also provides a deep excavation method for seabed sandy strata. Utilizing the aforementioned device, and employing a "blowing + sand discharge + air lift" construction process, through conventional trenching operations, trench widening operations, and deep excavation operations, it can solve construction problems such as severe siltation, unstable slopes, and difficulty in shaping in seabed sandy strata, achieving the desired deep excavation effect for seabed trenches.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of submarine pipeline laying and equipment construction, and relates to a high-pressure water jet device and deep excavation method based on seabed sandy strata. Background Technology

[0002] To prevent accidents such as anchor snags after submarine pipelines are laid, they need to be buried for protection. The burial depth of submarine pipelines is generally around 1.5m-4m, but in special sea areas, if other pipelines or cables are planned on top of the existing pipeline, the burial depth will reach about 8m.

[0003] Currently, conventional water jet trenching machines struggle to overcome construction challenges such as severe siltation, unstable slopes, and difficulty in shaping sandy seabed strata. For example, the invention patent with application number 201310062160.4, which uses a dual-pump H-shaped design, can achieve trenching on general seabeds. However, during deep excavation, the designed trench width reaches approximately 20 meters, and the resulting liquefied seabed soil cannot be effectively discharged from the bottom of the trench. Simultaneously, under the action of seabed currents, the seabed soil on both sides of the sandy seabed trench experiences some collapse, leading to more severe siltation and making it difficult to achieve the desired deep excavation effect. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by this invention is to address the construction difficulties in the existing technology, such as severe siltation, unstable slopes, and difficulty in shaping of seabed sandy strata, thereby providing a high-pressure water jet device and deep excavation method based on seabed sandy strata.

[0005] The technical solution adopted by this invention to solve its technical problem is:

[0006] A high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata includes:

[0007] The equipment includes a sand suction pump starter cabinet, an air compressor, a high-pressure water jet device, and a trenching machine. The trenching machine is connected to the sand suction pump starter cabinet, the air compressor, and the high-pressure water jet device via umbilical cables.

[0008] The trenching machine includes: a frame, an axial flow pump, an air lift pipe, a sand suction pump, a sand discharge pipe, and a high-pressure water nozzle;

[0009] The axial flow pump is fixed to the frame and is used to sweep the seabed soil.

[0010] The air lift pipe is connected to the air compressor equipment; the air lift pipe is divided into a left air lift pipe and a right air lift pipe, which are respectively installed on the left and right sides of the frame; the air lift pipe is used for air lift operation.

[0011] The sand suction pump is connected to the sand suction pump starter cabinet; the sand suction pump is divided into a left sand suction pump and a right sand suction pump, and the left sand suction pump and the right sand suction pump are respectively connected to the frame through several chains. The height and angle of the left sand suction pump or the right sand suction pump can be controlled by the extension and retraction of the chains.

[0012] The sand discharge pipe is divided into a left sand discharge pipe and a right sand discharge pipe, which are connected to the left sand suction pump and the right sand suction pump respectively, and are used to discharge the sand and soil flow sucked up by the sand suction pump.

[0013] The high-pressure water nozzle is mounted on the frame and is connected to the high-pressure water jet device via an umbilical cable.

[0014] Preferably, in the high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata of the present invention, the high-pressure water nozzle is covered with a protective tube, and rollers are installed on the outer wall of the protective tube.

[0015] Preferably, the high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata of the present invention further includes a sonar monitoring system and a front sonar probe and a rear sonar probe; the front sonar probe is installed in front of the frame, the rear sonar probe is installed behind the frame, and the front sonar probe and the rear sonar probe are connected to the sonar monitoring system via an umbilical cable.

[0016] Preferably, the high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata of the present invention further includes an attitude monitoring system and an attitude monitoring instrument. The attitude monitoring instrument is installed in the middle of the frame, between two axial flow pumps, and is connected to the attitude monitoring system via an umbilical cable.

[0017] Preferably, in the high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata of the present invention, the frame includes: a crossbeam and a vertical beam, the vertical beam being fixed below the crossbeam, the crossbeam and the vertical beam being connected as a whole by flanges, and the bottom left and right sides of the vertical beam being respectively fixed with sliding skids by flanges, the sliding skids being used to support the frame so that the trenching machine can slide on the seabed.

[0018] Preferably, in the high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata of the present invention, the left and right sand suction pumps are connected to the frame via four chains located at the left front, left rear, right front, and right rear, respectively, and each chain can be pulled independently.

[0019] Preferably, in the high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata of the present invention, the sand discharge pipe is a rubber hose with embedded steel wire, and is connected to the sand suction pump through a flange or quick plug.

[0020] Preferably, in the high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata of the present invention, the air lift pipe is a straight inclined pipe.

[0021] A deep excavation method, using the aforementioned high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata, includes the following operating modes:

[0022] Trenching operation: Using the left or right axial flow pump, air lift pipe, sand suction pump, and sand discharge pipe, the trench is expanded on both sides in sequence to form a stepped trench.

[0023] Deep trenching operation: The trenching machine is used to excavate directly above the pipeline, the axial flow pump is used to blow away the seabed soil, the air lift pipe is used for air lift operation, and the sand suction pump is used for sand removal operation.

[0024] Preferably, in the deep excavation method of the present invention, the left and right sand suction pumps are connected to the frame via four chains located at the left front, left rear, right front, and right rear, respectively. Each chain can be pulled independently. When digging a trench on the left side during trenching operations, the left front and left rear chains of the left sand suction pump are pulled to make the left sand suction pump move towards the left. When digging a trench on the right side during trenching operations, the right front and right rear chains of the right sand suction pump are pulled to make the right sand suction pump move towards the right.

[0025] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0026] (1) Based on the conventional trenching machine, a sand suction pump and an air lift device were added, which can effectively increase the amount of liquefied soil discharged from the trench and solve the serious problem of back siltation during the construction of sandy strata.

[0027] (2) The sand discharge pipe and air lift pipe of the present invention are divided into left and right parts, which can realize separate control of the left and right sides, ensuring the sand discharge effect and construction efficiency during the trenching process.

[0028] (3) The deep excavation method described in this invention utilizes an improved high-pressure water jet trenching machine device and adopts a "blowing + sand removal + air lift" construction process. Through conventional trenching operation, trench widening operation, and deep excavation operation, the deep excavation effect of submarine pipeline trench can be achieved. Attached Figure Description

[0029] The technical solution of this application will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0030] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the high-pressure water jet device based on the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment;

[0031] Figure 2 This is a top view of the trenching machine of the high-pressure water jet device based on the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment;

[0032] Figure 3 This is a front view of the trenching machine of the high-pressure water jet device based on the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment;

[0033] Figure 4 This is a rear view of the trenching machine of the high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata in this embodiment;

[0034] Figure 5 This is a side view of the trenching machine in the high-pressure water jet device based on the seabed sandy strata of this embodiment;

[0035] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the sand suction pump of the high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata in this embodiment;

[0036] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the air lift pipe of the high-pressure water jet device based on the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment;

[0037] Figure 8 This is a theoretical effect diagram of the deep excavation method based on seabed sandy strata in this embodiment;

[0038] Figure 9 This is a schematic diagram of the conventional operation of the deep excavation method based on seabed sandy strata in this embodiment;

[0039] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the trenching method based on the deep excavation of the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment;

[0040] Figure 11 This is a schematic diagram of the trenching method based on the deep excavation of the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment;

[0041] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the deep excavation method based on the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment.

[0042] The attached figures are labeled as follows:

[0043] 1. Axial flow pump; 2-1. Right sand suction pump; 2-2. Left sand suction pump; 3-1. Right sand discharge pipe; 3-2. Left sand discharge pipe; 4-1. Right air lift pipe; 4-2. Left air lift pipe; 5. Crossbeam; 6. Chain; 7. Vertical beam; 8. Pipe protector; 9. Skid; 10. High-pressure water nozzle; 11. Roller; 12. Front sonar probe; 13. Rear sonar probe; 14. Attitude monitor; 15. Sonar monitoring system; 16. Attitude monitoring system; 17. High-pressure water jet equipment; 18. Sand suction pump starter cabinet; 19. Air compressor equipment; 20. Generator equipment; 21. Umbilical cable; 22. Trenching machine; 23. Subsea pipeline; 24. Subsea pipeline trench type. Detailed Implementation

[0044] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other.

[0045] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing this application 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, and therefore should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of this application. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, features defined with "first," "second," etc., may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, unless otherwise stated, "a plurality of" means two or more.

[0046] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" 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 mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0047] The technical solution of this application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Example

[0048] This embodiment provides a high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata, such as... Figure 1-5 As shown, it includes:

[0049] The equipment includes a sand suction pump starter cabinet 18, an air compressor 19, a high-pressure water jet device 17, and a trenching machine 22. The trenching machine 22 is connected to the sand suction pump starter cabinet 18, the air compressor 19, and the high-pressure water jet device 17 via an umbilical cable 21.

[0050] The trenching machine 22 includes: a frame, an axial flow pump 1, an air lift pipe, a sand suction pump, a sand discharge pipe, and a high-pressure water nozzle 10;

[0051] The axial flow pump 1 is fixed on the frame and is used to sweep the seabed soil.

[0052] The air lift pipe is connected to the air compressor equipment 19; the air lift pipe is divided into a left air lift pipe 4-2 and a right air lift pipe 4-1, which are respectively installed on the left and right sides of the frame; the air lift pipe is used for air lift operation.

[0053] The sand suction pump is connected to the sand suction pump starter cabinet 18; the sand suction pump is divided into a left sand suction pump 2-2 and a right sand suction pump 2-1. The left sand suction pump 2-2 and the right sand suction pump 2-1 are respectively connected to the frame through several chains 6. The height and angle of the left sand suction pump 2-2 or the right sand suction pump 2-1 can be controlled by the extension and retraction of the chains 6.

[0054] The sand discharge pipe is divided into a left sand discharge pipe 3-2 and a right sand discharge pipe 3-1, which are connected to the left sand suction pump 2-2 and the right sand suction pump 2-1 respectively, and are used to discharge the sand and soil flow sucked up by the sand suction pump.

[0055] The high-pressure water nozzle 10 is mounted on the frame and is connected to the high-pressure water jet device 17 via an umbilical cable 21.

[0056] This embodiment features a high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata. The high-pressure water nozzle 10 assists in cutting the seabed soil. An axial flow pump 1 and a sand suction pump are used for shoveling and sand removal operations, respectively. A chain 6 adjusts the height and angle of the sand suction pump 2, facilitating full contact between the pump and the liquefied soil. Sand removal pipes 3-1 and 3-2 are connected to the suction pump 2-1 and 2-2, enabling separate sand removal operations on both sides of the trenching machine 22. The air lift pipe 4, including air lift pipe 4-1 and air lift pipe 4-2, enables separate air lift operations on both sides of the trenching machine. By adding a sand suction pump and air lift equipment to a conventional trenching machine, the amount of liquefied soil discharged from the trench is effectively increased, solving the serious backfilling problem during sandy strata construction. Both the sand removal pipe and the air lift pipe are divided into left and right sections, allowing for separate control of the left and right sides, ensuring effective sand removal and construction efficiency during trenching.

[0057] Preferably, the high-pressure water jet device based on the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment, such as... Figure 3 , 4 As shown, the high-pressure water nozzle 10 is externally covered by a pipe protector 8, and rollers 11 are installed on the outer wall of the pipe protector 8. The pipe protector 8 protects the high-pressure water nozzle 10, such as... Figure 12 As shown, roller 11 can reduce friction between the pipe protector 8 and the subsea pipeline 23.

[0058] Preferably, the high-pressure water jet device based on the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment, such as... Figure 1 , 2 As shown, it also includes a sonar monitoring system 15 and a front sonar probe 12 and a rear sonar probe 13; the front sonar probe 12 is installed at the front of the frame, and the rear sonar probe 13 is installed at the rear of the frame. The front sonar probe 12 and the rear sonar probe 13 are connected to the sonar monitoring system 15 via an umbilical cable 21. Specifically, as... Figure 2As shown, the front sonar probe 12 and the rear sonar probe 13 are respectively installed on the front and rear crossbeams 5 of the trenching machine 22, and can be used for underwater location identification of the subsea pipeline 23 and real-time monitoring of the subsea pipeline trench 24.

[0059] Preferably, the high-pressure water jet device based on the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment, such as... Figure 1 , 2 As shown, the system also includes an attitude monitoring system 16 and an attitude monitoring instrument 14. The attitude monitoring instrument 14 is installed in the middle of the frame, between the two axial flow pumps 1, and is connected to the attitude monitoring system 16 via an umbilical cable 21. It can be used to monitor the underwater attitude of the trenching machine 22.

[0060] Preferably, the high-pressure water jet device based on the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment, such as... Figure 2-4 As shown, the frame includes: a horizontal beam 5 and a vertical beam 7. The vertical beam 7 is fixed below the horizontal beam 5. The horizontal beam 5 and the vertical beam 7 are connected as a whole by flanges. Sleds 9 are fixed to the bottom left and right sides of the vertical beam 7 by flanges, as shown. Figure 10 , 11 As shown, under the traction of the main working vessel, the skid 9 is used to support the frame so that the trenching machine 22 can slide on the seabed.

[0061] Preferably, the high-pressure water jet device based on the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment, such as... Figure 6 As shown, the left sand suction pump 2-2 and the right sand suction pump 2-1 are connected to the frame via four chains 6 located at the front left, rear left, front right, and rear right, respectively. Each chain 6 can be pulled independently to adjust the angle or height of the left sand suction pump 2-2 and the right sand suction pump 2-1. The sand suction pumps are flexibly connected to the trenching machine via the chains, which can effectively prevent the seabed from bumping into the sand suction pumps during the trenching machine's construction, while also ensuring sufficient contact between the sand suction pumps and the liquefied soil.

[0062] Preferably, in this embodiment of the high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata, the sand discharge pipe is a rubber hose with embedded steel wire, and is connected to the sand suction pump via a flange or quick-connect plug. The embedded steel wire effectively prevents hose deformation, and the flange or quick-connect plug connection allows for easy adjustment of the hose length, facilitating on-site construction.

[0063] Preferably, the high-pressure water jet device based on the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment, such as... Figure 7 As shown, the air lift pipe is a straight inclined pipe. Using a straight inclined pipe without any bends facilitates the clearing and cleaning of the pipe in case of blockages caused by sand, fishing nets, or garbage.

[0064] Preferably, the high-pressure water jet device based on the seabed sandy strata in this embodiment, such as... Figure 1As shown, it also includes generator equipment 20 for generating electricity.

[0065] This embodiment provides a deep excavation method using the aforementioned high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata, including the following operating modes.

[0066] (1) During routine trenching operations, within a certain range of the trench top width, axial flow pump 1, high-pressure water jet equipment 17, and air compressor equipment 19 are activated for purging and air-lift operations. The trench depth can reach the construction depth of a conventional trenching machine, such as... Figure 9 As shown.

[0067] (2) Trenching operation by trenching machine. This process expands both sides of the trench, forming a stepped trench type (such as...). Figure 8 As shown in the figure, this effectively prevents slope collapse. Figure 10 As shown, during construction on the right side of the trench, the control switches for the right sand suction pump 2-1 and the right air lift pipe 4-1 of the air compressor 19 are turned on to ensure that the right sand discharge pipe 3-1 and the right air lift pipe 4-1 can better discharge the liquefied soil out of the trench, while preventing the left sand discharge pipe 3-2 and the left air lift pipe 4-2 from blowing the liquefied soil back into the trench, which could cause a large amount of backfilling and bury the pipeline; similarly, if Figure 11 As shown, during the construction on the left side of the trench, the control switches of the left sand suction pump 2-2 and the left air lift pipe 4-2 of the air compressor equipment 19 are turned on to carry out trenching on the left side.

[0068] (3) Deep excavation operation by trenching machine. During this process, construction is carried out directly above the pipeline, and the axial flow pump 1, sand suction pump 2, high-pressure water jet equipment 17, and air compressor equipment 19 on both sides are turned on simultaneously. Figure 12 As shown, the "purging + sand removal + air lift" operation is achieved, and by increasing the number of construction passes, the goal of deep excavation is ultimately achieved.

[0069] Preferably, in the deep excavation method of this embodiment, the left sand suction pump 2-2 and the right sand suction pump 2-1 are connected to the frame via four chains 6 located at the left front, left rear, right front, and right rear, respectively. Each chain 6 can be pulled independently. When digging a trench on the left side during trenching operations, the left front and left rear chains 6 of the left sand suction pump 2-2 are pulled to make the left sand suction pump 2-2 suck sand in a slightly left direction. When digging a trench on the right side during trenching operations, the right front and right rear chains 6 of the right sand suction pump 2-1 are pulled to make the right sand suction pump 2-1 suck sand in a slightly right direction.

[0070] Based on the above-described preferred embodiments according to this application, and through the foregoing description, those skilled in the art can make various changes and modifications without departing from the technical concept of this application. The technical scope of this application is not limited to the contents of the specification, but must be determined according to the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata, characterized in that, include: The sand suction pump starter cabinet (18), air compressor equipment (19), high-pressure water jet equipment (17), and trenching machine (22) are connected to the sand suction pump starter cabinet (18), air compressor equipment (19), and high-pressure water jet equipment (17) respectively via umbilical cable (21). The trenching machine (22) includes: a frame, an axial flow pump (1), an air lift pipe, a sand suction pump, a sand discharge pipe, and a high-pressure water nozzle (10). The axial flow pump (1) is fixed on the frame and is used to sweep the seabed soil; The air lift pipe is connected to the air compressor equipment (19); the air lift pipe is divided into a left air lift pipe (4-2) and a right air lift pipe (4-1), and the left air lift pipe (4-2) and the right air lift pipe (4-1) are respectively installed on the left and right sides of the frame; the air lift pipe is used for air lift operation. The sand suction pump is connected to the sand suction pump starter cabinet (18); the sand suction pump is divided into a left sand suction pump (2-2) and a right sand suction pump (2-1). The left sand suction pump (2-2) and the right sand suction pump (2-1) are respectively connected to the frame through several chains (6). The height and angle of the left sand suction pump (2-2) or the right sand suction pump (2-1) can be controlled by the extension and retraction of the chains (6); the chains independently control the deflection angle of the sand suction pump for stepped trenching operations; The sand discharge pipe is divided into a left sand discharge pipe (3-2) and a right sand discharge pipe (3-1), which are connected to the left sand suction pump (2-2) and the right sand suction pump (2-1) respectively, and are used to discharge the sand and soil flow sucked up by the sand suction pump; The high-pressure water nozzle (10) is mounted on the frame and is connected to the high-pressure water jet device (17) via an umbilical cable (21).

2. The high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata according to claim 1, characterized in that, The high-pressure water nozzle (10) is covered with a pipe protector (8), and rollers (11) are installed on the outer wall of the pipe protector (8).

3. The high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a sonar monitoring system (15) and a front sonar probe (12) and a rear sonar probe (13); the front sonar probe (12) is installed in front of the frame and the rear sonar probe (13) is installed behind the frame. The front sonar probe (12) and the rear sonar probe (13) are connected to the sonar monitoring system (15) via an umbilical cable (21).

4. The high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes an attitude monitoring system (16) and an attitude monitoring instrument (14), which is installed in the middle of the frame, between the two axial flow pumps (1), and is connected to the attitude monitoring system (16) via an umbilical cable (21).

5. The high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The frame includes a crossbeam (5) and a vertical beam (7). The vertical beam (7) is fixed below the crossbeam (5). The crossbeam (5) and the vertical beam (7) are connected as one unit by flanges. The bottom left and right sides of the vertical beam (7) are respectively fixed with skids (9) by flanges. The skids (9) are used to support the frame so that the trenching machine (22) can slide on the seabed.

6. The high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The left sand suction pump (2-2) and the right sand suction pump (2-1) are connected to the frame via four chains (6) located at the front left, rear left, front right, and rear right, respectively, and each chain (6) can be pulled independently.

7. The high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The sand discharge pipe is a rubber hose with embedded steel wire, and is connected to the sand suction pump via a flange or quick plug.

8. The high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata according to any one of claims 1-7, characterized in that, The air lift tube is a straight inclined tube.

9. A deep excavation method, characterized in that, The high-pressure water jet device based on seabed sandy strata as described in claim 1 includes the following operating modes. Trenching operation: Using the left or right axial flow pump, air lift pipe, sand suction pump, and sand discharge pipe, the trench is expanded on both sides in sequence to form a stepped trench. The trenching operation includes step-by-step construction, starting with the right side and then the left side, to form a stepped trench wall that is resistant to collapse. Deep trenching operation: The trenching machine is used to excavate directly above the pipeline, the axial flow pump is used to blow away the seabed soil, the air lift pipe is used for air lift operation, and the sand suction pump is used for sand removal operation.

10. The deep excavation method according to claim 9, characterized in that, The left sand suction pump (2-2) and the right sand suction pump (2-1) are connected to the frame via four chains (6) located at the front left, rear left, front right, and rear right, respectively. Each chain (6) can be pulled independently. When digging a ditch on the left side during trenching operations, the two chains (6) at the front left and rear left of the left sand suction pump (2-2) are pulled to make the left sand suction pump (2-2) suck sand in a slightly left direction. When digging a ditch on the right side during trenching operations, the two chains (6) at the front right and rear right of the right sand suction pump (2-1) are pulled to make the right sand suction pump (2-1) suck sand in a slightly right direction.

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