Slow-release gravity anchor and its launching operation method

Abstract

This application discloses a slow-release gravity anchor and its deployment method in the field of marine engineering equipment technology. The device can deploy the gravity anchor to the seabed, providing mooring force to the marine engineering mooring system based on its own weight. The gravity anchor can be made of materials such as steel or reinforced concrete, and has an internal enclosure structure providing buoyancy no less than its own weight. During the deployment phase, the sinking speed of the gravity anchor is controllable by controlling the rate of buoyancy reduction. This approach aims to change the traditional deployment method of gravity anchors, minimizing the use of floating cranes or large floating cranes during deployment, thus significantly reducing the cost of gravity anchor deployment. Simultaneously, the piston mechanism helps operators determine the rate of buoyancy loss of the gravity anchor itself, allowing for better adjustment of the gas discharge rate by the flow rate regulating valve.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of marine engineering equipment technology, and in particular to slow-release gravity anchors and their deployment methods. Background Technology

[0002] Anchoring equipment, also known as "anchoring equipment," refers to the anchor, anchor chain, anchor winch, and their auxiliary equipment, and is one of the main pieces of equipment on a ship. Its main functions are: 1. Mooring: When a ship is sheltering from wind, waiting for high tide, or when personnel are embarking or disembarking, or when loading or unloading cargo at anchorage, it can drop anchor to keep the ship at anchor. 2. Maneuvering: When navigating in narrow waterways or harbors, anchoring can assist the ship in turning or changing direction; dropping a single or double anchor can reduce the ship's speed. When approaching or leaving a pier or buoy, anchoring helps control the ship. 3. Emergency: When a ship runs aground, anchoring can be used to secure the hull and prevent further grounding, and to assist in refloating. When a ship is out of control in rough seas, anchoring or anchor chain can be used to control the bow direction to prevent the ship from rolling sideways and being subjected to severe rolling.

[0003] Marine fishing grounds, offshore wind power, and marine tourism complexes are all important marine economic industries. However, unlike traditional oil and gas marine engineering industries, these marine engineering projects are particularly sensitive to project costs. They must meet the mooring requirements for harsh sea conditions while also being cost-effective. Traditional gravity anchors mostly require floating cranes for deployment, which greatly increases the cost of deployment operations. Therefore, using slow-release gravity anchors and supporting deployment methods is a particularly good option.

[0004] Therefore, the applicant proposes a slow-release gravity anchor and its deployment method. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this application is to address the need for marine engineering to meet mooring requirements in harsh sea conditions while maintaining low cost. Traditional gravity anchors mostly require floating cranes for deployment, which greatly increases the cost of gravity anchor deployment operations. Compared with existing technologies, this application provides a slow-release gravity anchor and its deployment method, including the following steps:

[0006] S1. Before deploying the slow-release gravity anchor, connect the slow-release gravity anchor to the mooring anchor chain and arrange it reasonably on the transport barge. Arrange the first temporary buoy, the first towing wire rope, the winch and the gravity anchor deployment rail reasonably in the corresponding positions on the ship. All preparations are complete.

[0007] S2. Connect the first towing wire rope to the stern of the transport barge with the slow-release gravity anchor, and tie the first temporary buoy to the end of the rope. Then connect the second towing wire rope on the anchor boat to the first towing wire rope on the slow-release gravity anchor, start the anchor boat to tow the slow-release gravity anchor into the water, and during the process, the winch releases the mooring anchor chain at an appropriate speed to cooperate with the slow-release gravity anchor entering the water.

[0008] S3. The second towing steel wire rope on the anchor boat works in conjunction with the mooring anchor chain on the transport barge to lower the slow-release gravity anchor to the predetermined position. The lowering position is determined using the position buoy component on the slow-release gravity anchor itself, and the lowering speed is set using the flow rate regulating valve on the slow-release gravity anchor itself.

[0009] S4. The slow-release gravity anchor is placed in the predetermined position, the mooring anchor chain is laid in the predetermined position, the position buoy assembly automatically rises to mark the position of the slow-release gravity anchor, the second temporary buoy is set at the end of the mooring anchor chain to mark the position of the end of the mooring anchor chain, and then the anchor boat and transport barge withdraw, and the pre-laying operation of the slow-release gravity anchor is completed.

[0010] This gravity anchor can be deployed to the seabed, providing mooring force for marine engineering mooring systems based on its own weight. The anchor can be made of materials such as steel and reinforced concrete, and its internal enclosure structure provides buoyancy no less than its own weight. During deployment, the sinking speed of the anchor is controlled by adjusting the rate of buoyancy reduction. This design aims to change the traditional method of deploying gravity anchors, minimizing the use of floating cranes or large floating cranes, thus significantly reducing deployment costs. Furthermore, the piston mechanism helps operators determine the rate of buoyancy loss of the anchor itself, allowing for better adjustment of the gas discharge rate via the flow rate regulating valve.

[0011] Optionally, the slow-release gravity anchor includes a gravity anchor body, with mounting plates fixedly connected to both the left and right side walls of the gravity anchor body. The gravity anchor body has internal compartments, with sliding plugs slidably connected within each compartment. A water inlet hole communicating with the compartment is drilled at the bottom of the gravity anchor body. An adjustment chamber communicating with the compartment and an exhaust duct communicating with the adjustment chamber are drilled inside the gravity anchor body. A flow rate regulating valve is slidably connected inside the adjustment chamber, and a motor is installed inside the adjustment chamber, with the motor's output fixedly connected to the flow rate regulating valve. An air supply pipe communicating with the exhaust duct is fixedly connected to the upper end of the gravity anchor body, and a buoy assembly is installed at the top of the air supply pipe. This assembly controls the gas emission rate inside the compartment, thereby controlling the buoyancy loss rate of the gravity anchor itself to accurately control the sinking time of the gravity anchor.

[0012] Optionally, the buoy assembly includes a buoy body connected to an air supply pipe, with a light-transmitting tube connected to the upper end of the buoy body. A movable block slides inside the light-transmitting tube, which helps staff understand the approximate amount of gas discharged from the gravity anchor body.

[0013] Optionally, a piston is slidably connected inside the moving block, and a tension spring is fixedly connected between the piston and the moving block. A switch button is installed on the inner wall of the moving block, and a ring light electrically connected to the switch button is installed on the upper side wall of the moving block, so that the height of the piston can be better observed through the formed light ring.

[0014] Optionally, the light-transmitting tube is set to a multi-segment design, with each segment having a different color. The rate at which the color of the light-transmitting tube changes can be used to determine the rate at which the gravity anchor loses its own buoyancy, allowing staff to better adjust the gas discharge of the flow rate regulating valve.

[0015] Optionally, a counterweight housing is fixedly connected to the bottom of the buoy body, so that the flow rate regulating valve can always remain in a vertical state during the floating process.

[0016] Optionally, a winding rod is hinged to the upper end of the gravity anchor body, an air supply pipe is wound around the winding rod, a guide plate is rotatably connected to the winding rod, and the air supply pipe is set through the guide plate. A tachometer is installed between the guide plate and the winding rod to help the staff understand the sinking speed of the gravity anchor body.

[0017] Optionally, a pressure-resistant metal mesh is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the gas pipeline to prevent the gas pipeline from being deformed by pressure in water.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the advantages of this invention are:

[0019] (1) This scheme can deploy a gravity anchor to the seabed and provide mooring force for the marine engineering mooring system by its own weight. The gravity anchor can be made of materials such as steel and reinforced concrete. An internal enclosure structure is set up to provide buoyancy of not less than its own weight. During the deployment phase, the sinking speed of the gravity anchor can be controlled by controlling the rate of buoyancy reduction. The purpose of this is to change the traditional method of deploying gravity anchors. During the deployment operation, floating cranes or large floating cranes should be avoided as much as possible, which can significantly reduce the cost of deploying gravity anchors. At the same time, with the setting of the piston, it helps the staff to judge the rate of buoyancy loss of the gravity anchor body, so that the staff can better adjust the gas discharge of the flow rate regulating valve.

[0020] (2) The slow-release gravity anchor includes a gravity anchor body. Mounting plates are fixedly connected to both the left and right side walls of the gravity anchor body. The gravity anchor body has compartments inside, and movable plugs are slidably connected inside the compartments. A water inlet hole connected to the compartments is drilled at the bottom of the gravity anchor body. An adjustment chamber connected to the compartments and an exhaust channel connected to the adjustment chamber are drilled inside the gravity anchor body. A flow rate regulating valve is slidably connected inside the adjustment chamber. A motor is installed inside the adjustment chamber, and the output end of the motor is fixedly connected to the flow rate regulating valve. An air supply pipe connected to the exhaust channel is fixedly connected to the upper end of the gravity anchor body. A buoy assembly is installed at the top of the air supply pipe, which can control the gas emission rate inside the compartments, so as to accurately control the sinking time of the gravity anchor by controlling the buoyancy loss rate of the gravity anchor itself.

[0021] (3) The buoy assembly includes a buoy body connected to the gas supply pipe. A light-transmitting tube is connected to the upper end of the buoy body. A moving block slides inside the light-transmitting tube, which can help staff understand the approximate amount of gas discharged from the gravity anchor body.

[0022] (4) A piston is slidably connected inside the moving block, and a tension spring is fixedly connected between the piston and the moving block. A switch button is installed on the inner wall of the moving block, and a ring light electrically connected to the switch button is installed on the side wall of the moving block, so that the height of the piston can be better observed through the formed halo.

[0023] (5) The light-transmitting tube is set to a multi-segment type, and each segment of the light-transmitting tube has a different color. The speed at which the color of the light-transmitting tube changes can be used to determine the speed at which the gravity anchor loses its own buoyancy, so that the staff can better adjust the gas discharge of the flow rate regulating valve.

[0024] (6) A counterweight housing is fixedly connected to the bottom of the buoy body so that the flow rate regulating valve can always be in a vertical state during the floating process.

[0025] (7) A winding rod is hinged to the upper end of the gravity anchor body, and an air supply pipe is wound around the winding rod. A guide plate is rotatably connected to the winding rod, and the air supply pipe passes through the guide plate. A tachometer is installed between the guide plate and the winding rod, which can help the staff understand the sinking speed of the gravity anchor body.

[0026] (8) A layer of pressure-resistant metal mesh is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the gas pipeline to prevent the gas pipeline from being deformed by pressure in water. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the method in this application;

[0028] Figure 2 Side and top views of the deployment preparation stage for application A1;

[0029] Figure 3 These are side and top views of the A1 water entry phase of this application.

[0030] Figure 4 These are side and top views of the A1 immersion stage of this application;

[0031] Figure 5 This is a diagram showing the pre-layout status of A1 in this application;

[0032] Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional view of application A1;

[0033] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the gravity anchor body in this application;

[0034] Figure 8This is a diagram showing the state of the gravity anchor body after it has been launched into the water.

[0035] Figure 9 This is a diagram showing the internal state of the gravity anchor body after the flow rate regulating valve of this application is opened.

[0036] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of the moving block portion of this application.

[0037] Explanation of the labels in the diagram:

[0038] A1 Gravity release anchor, A2 First temporary buoy, B1 Second temporary buoy, A3 First towing wire rope, A4 Mooring anchor chain, A5 Winch, A6 Gravity anchor deployment rail, A7 Transport barge, A8 Anchor boat, A9 Second towing wire rope, 1 Gravity anchor body, 11 Mounting eye plate, 2 Compartment, 21 Moving plug, 3 Water inlet, 4 Adjustment chamber, 5 Exhaust duct, 51 Flow rate regulating valve, 52 Motor, 6 Air supply pipe, 7 Buoy assembly, 71 Buoy body, 72 Light-transmitting tube, 73 Moving block, 74 Piston, 75 Switch button, 76 Ring light, 8 Winding rod, 81 Guide plate, 82 Tachometer. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0040] Example 1:

[0041] This application discloses a slow-release gravity anchor and its deployment method. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1-5 This includes the following steps:

[0042] S1. Before deploying the slow-release gravity anchor A1, connect the slow-release gravity anchor A1 to the mooring anchor chain A4 and arrange it appropriately on the transport barge A7. Arrange the first temporary buoy A2, the first towing wire rope A3, the winch A5, and the gravity anchor deployment rail A6 appropriately in their respective positions on the ship. Once preparations are complete, as follows... Figure 2 As shown;

[0043] S2. Connect the slow-release gravity anchor A1 to the stern of the transport barge A7 with the first towing cable A3, and tie the first temporary buoy A2 to the end of the cable. Then, connect the second towing cable A9 on the anchor boat A8 to the first towing cable A3 on the slow-release gravity anchor A1. Start the anchor boat A8 to tow the slow-release gravity anchor A1 into the water. During the process, the winch A5 releases the mooring anchor chain A4 at a reasonable speed to assist the slow-release gravity anchor in entering the water. Figure 3 As shown;

[0044] S3, the second towing wire rope A9 on the anchor boat A8 cooperates with the mooring anchor chain A4 on the transport barge A7 to lower the slow-release gravity anchor A1 to the predetermined position. The lowering position is determined using the position buoy component 7 on the slow-release gravity anchor A1, and the lowering speed is set using the flow rate regulating valve 51 on the slow-release gravity anchor A1. Figure 4 As shown;

[0045] S4. The slow-release gravity anchor A1 is sunk to the predetermined position, and the mooring chain A4 is laid in the predetermined position. The position buoy assembly 7 automatically rises to mark the position of the slow-release gravity anchor. A second temporary buoy B1 is set at the end of the mooring chain A4 to mark the position of the end of the mooring chain A4. Afterwards, the anchor boat A8 and the transport barge A7 withdraw, and the pre-laying operation of the slow-release gravity anchor A1 is completed. Figure 5 As shown.

[0046] Please see Figure 6-7 The slow-release gravity anchor A1 includes a gravity anchor body 1. Mounting eye plates 11 are fixedly connected to both the left and right side walls of the gravity anchor body 1. The gravity anchor body 1 has a compartment 2 inside. A movable plug 21 is slidably connected inside the compartment 2. A water inlet hole 3 connected to the compartment 2 is drilled at the bottom of the gravity anchor body 1. An adjustment chamber 4 connected to the compartment 2 and an exhaust duct 5 connected to the adjustment chamber 4 are drilled inside the gravity anchor body 1. A flow rate regulating valve 51 is slidably connected inside the adjustment chamber 4. A motor 52 is installed inside the adjustment chamber 4, and the output end of the motor 52 is fixedly connected to the flow rate regulating valve 51. An air supply pipe 6 connected to the exhaust duct 5 is fixedly connected to the upper end of the gravity anchor body 1. A buoy assembly 7 is installed at the top of the air supply pipe 6.

[0047] After the gravity anchor body 1 is launched, the motor 52 is started to drive the flow rate regulating valve 51 to rotate. Then, the moving plug 21 inside the compartment 2 is pushed upward by the water pressure, so that the air inside the compartment 2 is discharged into the buoy assembly 7 through the flow rate regulating valve 51 and the air supply pipe 6. The operator can control the rotation angle of the flow rate regulating valve 51 through the motor 52, thereby controlling the gas discharge rate inside the compartment 2. This allows the operator to control the buoyancy loss rate of the gravity anchor itself and accurately control the sinking time of the gravity anchor, achieving the effect of slowly releasing the gravity anchor. This achieves the goal of not using heavy vessel equipment such as floating cranes or multi-purpose tugboats for gravity anchor deployment operations, and significantly reduces the cost of gravity anchor deployment operations.

[0048] Example 2:

[0049] Compared to Embodiment 1, this embodiment mainly improves the buoy assembly 7, enabling workers to monitor the amount of gas discharged from the gravity anchor body 1 in real time, thereby determining the rate of buoyancy loss of the gravity anchor body 1. This embodiment also adds components such as the winding rod 8, which prevents the air supply pipe 6 from becoming entangled and helps workers monitor the sinking speed of the gravity anchor body 1. The specific implementation is as follows:

[0050] The buoy assembly 7 includes a buoy body 71 connected to the air supply pipe 6. A light-transmitting tube 72 is connected to the upper end of the buoy body 71. A moving block 73 slides inside the light-transmitting tube 72. A piston 74 is slidably connected inside the moving block 73. A tension spring is fixedly connected between the piston 74 and the moving block 73. A switch button 75 is installed on the inner wall of the moving block 73. A ring light 76 electrically connected to the switch button 75 is installed on the upper side wall of the moving block 73. The light-transmitting tube 72 is multi-segmented, and each segment of the light-transmitting tube 72 is a different color. A counterweight housing is fixedly connected to the bottom end of the buoy body 71.

[0051] Please see Figure 8-9 After the flow rate regulating valve 51 is rotated open, the gas inside the compartment 2 is discharged into the buoy assembly 7 through the flow rate regulating valve 51 and the gas supply pipe 6. Due to the friction between the moving block 73 and the light-transmitting tube 72, when the gas enters the light-transmitting tube 72, it will first drive the piston 74 inside the moving block 73 to move upward, causing the piston 74 to press the switch button 75 to turn on the ring light 76, making the ring light 76 light up. As subsequent gas continues to enter, under the action of air pressure, it will drive the moving block 73 and the ring light 76 to move upward. Since the light-transmitting tube 72 is made of multiple transparent materials of different colors, the height at which the lit ring light 76 rises is different, and the color of the light emitted after exiting the light-transmitting tube 72 will also be different. At this time, the staff can observe the color of the light displayed by the light-transmitting tube 72 to understand the approximate amount of gas discharged from the gravity anchor body 1. At the same time, the staff can also judge the rate of buoyancy loss of the gravity anchor body 1 by the rate of color change of the light-transmitting tube 72, so as to better adjust the gas discharge of the flow rate regulating valve 51.

[0052] The upper end of the gravity anchor body 1 is hinged with a winding rod 8, and the air supply pipe 6 is wound around the winding rod 8. A guide plate 81 is rotatably connected to the winding rod 8, and the air supply pipe 6 is set through the guide plate 81. A tachometer 82 is installed between the guide plate 81 and the winding rod 8. A layer of pressure-resistant metal mesh is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the air supply pipe 6.

[0053] After the gravity anchor body 1 is launched into the water, the buoyancy of the buoy assembly 7 drives the winding rod 8 to rotate to a vertical position, as follows: Figure 8As shown, when the gravity anchor body 1 sinks quickly, the extraction speed of the air supply pipe 6 and the winding rod 8 will also increase. During the extraction process of the air supply pipe 6, the guide plate 81 will be rotated, which will enable the tachometer 82 to read the rotation speed of the guide plate 81, thereby helping the staff to understand the sinking speed of the gravity anchor body 1.

[0054] Additional explanation: After reading the rotational speed of the guide plate 81, the tachometer 82 sends the data to the terminal in real time through the controller. This system is well known to those skilled in the art and will not be described in detail here.

[0055] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention; however, the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any equivalent substitutions or modifications made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the technology disclosed in the present invention, based on the technical solution and its improved concept, should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for deploying a slow-release gravity anchor, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: S1. Before deploying the slow-release gravity anchor (A1), connect the slow-release gravity anchor (A1) to the mooring anchor chain (A4) and arrange them reasonably on the transport barge (A7). Arrange the first temporary buoy (A2), the first towing wire rope (A3), the winch (A5), and the gravity anchor deployment rail (A6) in the corresponding positions on the ship. The preparation is complete. S2. Connect the slow-release gravity anchor (A1) to the stern of the transport barge (A7) with the first towing wire rope (A3) and tie the first temporary buoy (A2) to the end of the rope. Then connect the second towing wire rope (A9) on the anchor boat (A8) to the first towing wire rope (A3) on the slow-release gravity anchor (A1). Start the anchor boat (A8) to tow the slow-release gravity anchor (A1) into the water. During the process, the winch (A5) releases the mooring anchor chain (A4) at a reasonable speed to cooperate with the slow-release gravity anchor entering the water. S3. The second towing wire rope (A9) on the anchor boat (A8) works in conjunction with the mooring anchor chain (A4) on the transport barge (A7) to sink the slow-release gravity anchor (A1) to a predetermined position. The sinking position is determined by the position buoy assembly (7) on the slow-release gravity anchor (A1), and the sinking speed is set by the flow rate regulating valve (51) on the slow-release gravity anchor (A1). S4. The slow-release gravity anchor (A1) is sunk to the predetermined position, the mooring anchor chain (A4) is laid to the predetermined position, the position buoy assembly (7) automatically rises to mark the position of the slow-release gravity anchor, the second temporary buoy (B1) is set at the end of the mooring anchor chain (A4) to mark the position of the end of the mooring anchor chain (A4), and then the anchor boat (A8) and the transport barge (A7) are withdrawn, and the pre-laying operation of the slow-release gravity anchor (A1) is completed.

2. A slow-release gravity anchor, characterized in that: The slow-release gravity anchor (A1) includes a gravity anchor body (1), on which mounting eye plates (11) are fixedly connected to both the left and right side walls. The gravity anchor body (1) has a compartment (2) inside, and a movable plug (21) is slidably connected inside the compartment (2). A water inlet hole (3) communicating with the compartment (2) is drilled at the bottom end of the gravity anchor body (1). An adjustment mechanism communicating with the compartment (2) is drilled inside the gravity anchor body (1). The structure includes a truncated cavity (4) and an exhaust duct (5) connected to the regulating cavity (4). A flow rate regulating valve (51) is rolled inside the regulating cavity (4). A motor (52) is installed inside the regulating cavity (4), and the output end of the motor (52) is fixedly connected to the flow rate regulating valve (51). An air supply pipe (6) connected to the exhaust duct (5) is fixedly connected to the upper end of the gravity anchor body (1). A buoy assembly (7) is installed at the top of the air supply pipe (6).

3. The slow-release gravity anchor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The buoy assembly (7) includes a buoy body (71) connected to the air supply pipe (6), and a light-transmitting pipe (72) is connected to the upper end of the buoy body (71). A moving block (73) slides inside the light-transmitting pipe (72).

4. The slow-release gravity anchor according to claim 3, characterized in that: A piston (74) is slidably connected inside the movable block (73), and a tension spring is fixedly connected between the piston (74) and the movable block (73).

5. The slow-release gravity anchor according to claim 4, characterized in that: A switch button (75) is installed on the inner wall of the movable block (73), and a ring light (76) electrically connected to the switch button (75) is installed on the upper side wall of the movable block (73).

6. The slow-release gravity anchor according to claim 5, characterized in that: The light-transmitting tube (72) is configured as a multi-segment, and each segment of the light-transmitting tube (72) has a different color.

7. The slow-release gravity anchor according to claim 6, characterized in that: The bottom end of the buoy body (71) is fixedly connected to a counterweight shell.

8. The slow-release gravity anchor according to claim 2, characterized in that: The upper end of the gravity anchor body (1) is hinged with a winding rod (8), the air supply pipe (6) is wound on the winding rod (8), a guide plate (81) is rotatably connected to the winding rod (8), and the air supply pipe (6) is set through the guide plate (81).

9. The slow-release gravity anchor according to claim 8, characterized in that: A tachometer (82) is installed between the guide plate (81) and the winding rod (8).

10. The slow-release gravity anchor according to claim 2, characterized in that: A layer of pressure-resistant metal mesh is fixedly connected to the outer wall of the gas pipeline (6).

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