Deep-sea trencher with switchable walking mode and non-bottom-touching operation method
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- OCEAN UNIV OF CHINA
- Filing Date
- 2024-02-21
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-21
AI Technical Summary
Existing deep-sea trenching machines suffer from several problems in complex seabed environments, including strong dependence on walking power, poor adaptability to seabed sediment, difficulty in balance control, limited trenching methods, difficulty in depth adjustment, susceptibility to damage during emergency braking, and high risk of bottom contact.
The deep-sea trenching machine adopts a switchable walking mode, combining tracked and skid walking devices, equipped with jet and chainsaw trenching systems, intelligent control system and hydraulic system, to realize the switching of multiple walking modes and trenching methods. Combined with non-bottom-contact operation method, it ensures balance and precise operation through hydraulic cylinder adjustment and intelligent sensor monitoring.
It improves the working efficiency of deep-sea trenching machines in complex seabed environments, reduces the risk of equipment damage, minimizes damage to seabed facilities, and enables precise small-scale operations and low-damage operations.
Smart Images

Figure CN118065455B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of equipment and technology for underwater trenching and cable laying, specifically to a deep-sea trenching machine with switchable walking modes and a non-bottom-contact operation method. Background Technology
[0002] Submarine pipelines do indeed face numerous challenges in the complex marine environment, including seabed currents, irregular seabeds, seabed soil stability, and external mechanical damage. To ensure pipeline stability and reduce external mechanical damage, using trenching machines to excavate trenches for cable laying is a common solution.
[0003] The existing deep-sea cable laying trenching equipment has the following problems:
[0004] 1. In existing technologies, trenching machines are mainly towed, with the power source being the construction vessel. Plow-type trenching machines operate by having a mother ship tow a plow to dig a trench on the seabed before burying pipes or cables. This method is highly dependent on the mother ship and has a limited operating depth. While the emergence of self-propelled trenching machines has solved the dependence on mother ships, their reliance on tracked or skid-mounted locomotion makes them less adaptable to complex seabed conditions.
[0005] 2. Currently, there are various trenching methods for deep-sea trenching machines. The existing trenching methods mainly include plow trenching, jet trenching, and cutting trenching. However, these trenching methods are relatively simple and cannot be well adapted to different seabed sediments.
[0006] 3. When deep-sea trenching machines encounter poor bottom conditions during trenching operations, they have difficulty controlling their own balance, which may lead to tilting or even overturning. Therefore, maintaining the balance of the trenching machine during operation is an urgent problem to be solved.
[0007] 4. When deep-sea trenching machines are excavating, the depth of the trench is limited by the excavation device, which may result in the trench being too deep or too shallow.
[0008] 5. During operation, the deep-sea trenching machine is too heavy. When an emergency braking is required, it may be damaged by inertia and impact.
[0009] 6. Due to the crisscrossing of submarine cables at some work sites, the burial paths and depths of some submarine cables have deviated from the original records. Furthermore, due to factors such as positioning accuracy and the operational accuracy of trenching equipment, the traditional trenching machine bottom-touching operation method may damage the original submarine cables during emergency repairs. Summary of the Invention
[0010] The purpose of this invention is to provide a deep-sea trenching machine with switchable walking modes and a non-contact operation method. This device can switch walking modes to different seabed textures, maintain the balance of the machine, and extricate the trenching machine from sinking. Its non-contact operation method can achieve precise small-scale operations when repairing subsea pipelines and cables, avoiding contact between the trenching machine and subsea facilities such as subsea pipelines, improving work efficiency, minimizing trenching risks, and reducing damage to the seabed ecological environment to a certain extent.
[0011] A deep-sea trenching machine with switchable walking modes is characterized by comprising a trenching system, a walking power unit, a hydraulic system, support linkages, an intelligent control system, and a trenching machine body. The trenching system includes a jetting mechanism and a chain mechanism. The jetting mechanism includes a jetting arm, and the chain mechanism includes a chainsaw and a baffle. Both the jetting mechanism and the chain mechanism are located at the bottom of the trenching machine body. The walking power unit includes a tracked walking device, a skid walking device, and an auxiliary auger propeller. The tracked walking device and the skid walking device are symmetrically arranged in the front, rear, left, and right directions of the trenching machine body. The auxiliary auger propeller is connected to the tail of the trenching machine and can rotate up, down, left, and right. When the trenching machine is traveling in skid mode, it provides power to the trenching machine. The hydraulic system includes a first type of hydraulic cylinder and a second type of hydraulic cylinder, with four of each type arranged in the front, rear, left, and right directions of the trenching machine body. The tracked walking device and the skid walking device each comprise four units. The four tracked walking devices and the four skid walking devices are connected in pairs through support rods to form four walking units, which are symmetrically arranged in the front, rear, left, and right directions of the trenching machine body. They are connected to the trenching machine body through a first type of hydraulic rod. The tracked walking unit includes a walking track, a transmission gear, a tow wheel, a drive device, and a rotary drive device. The distance between the skid walking device and the tracked walking device is maintained at 0.3-0.5 m.
[0012] There are two auxiliary screw propellers, which are arranged on the rear side of the trencher body. When the trencher switches to skid mode, the auxiliary screw propellers start working simultaneously to provide power for the trencher to move.
[0013] The spraying arms consist of two arms, symmetrically arranged at the bottom of the trencher, and each spraying arm consists of two rows of nozzles.
[0014] The first type of hydraulic cylinder includes a piston rod, a hydraulic cylinder body, and a sealing device. There are four of the first type of hydraulic cylinders, which are used to connect the four traveling units to the trenching machine body.
[0015] The second type of hydraulic cylinder includes a piston rod, a hydraulic cylinder body, and a sealing device. There are four of the second type of hydraulic cylinders, which are connected to the trenching machine body through a support connecting rod.
[0016] The support linkages are of two types. The first type has 16 linkages, with 4 linkages forming a group to connect the tracked walking device and the skid walking device to form 4 walking units. The second type has 4 linkages to connect the second type of hydraulic cylinder to the trenching machine body.
[0017] The intelligent control system includes sonar, depth sensor, and inclination sensor, which are respectively installed on the bottom and sides of the trenching machine body.
[0018] The sonar and depth sensors are used to monitor the distance between the bottom of the trenching machine and the seabed. The inclination sensor, mounted on the chassis of the trenching machine, sends a signal when the machine is unbalanced, prompting the intelligent control system to adjust the first hydraulic cylinder to restore the trenching machine to a balanced state. This invention also discloses a non-bottom-contact operation method for a deep-sea trenching machine with the aforementioned switchable walking mode, comprising the following steps:
[0019] S1. Before the trenching machine reaches the seabed for operation, the main crane of the construction vessel will lift the trenching machine body into the water, and the depth sensor installed at the bottom of the trenching machine will start working.
[0020] S2. When the bottom of the trencher is 6-8 m from the seabed, the main crane of the construction vessel stops the trencher from descending, and the first type of hydraulic cylinder connecting the four traveling units of the trencher starts to work. When the four traveling units reach a distance of 5-6 m from the vehicle body, the first type of hydraulic cylinder stops working.
[0021] S3. After the first type of hydraulic cylinder stops working, the rotary drive device connected to the four walking units starts working. The rotary drive device rotates the four walking units 180° and then stops working. The first type of hydraulic cylinder is shortened to its original position, and the main crane of the construction vessel continues to lower the trencher to the seabed.
[0022] S4. When the trencher reaches the seabed, if the actual project requires switching the walking mode, activate the second type of hydraulic cylinder installed on both sides of the trencher. The reaction force between the bottom of the second type of hydraulic cylinder and the seabed will support the trencher, so that the bottom of the four walking units of the trencher is kept 6-8 m away from the seabed.
[0023] S5. When the second type of hydraulic cylinder stops working, the rotary drive device connected to the four walking units starts working. The rotary drive device rotates the four walking units 180° and then stops working. The first hydraulic cylinder is shortened to its original position, and the second hydraulic cylinder connected to the trencher body is shortened to its original position, so that the four walking units of the trencher are returned to their original positions.
[0024] S6. When the trenching machine is operating on a hard soil seabed, the trenching machine can switch its walking mode to a four-track walking mode according to the above three steps. At this time, the trenching operation mode of the trenching machine is mainly based on the chain mechanism and the auxiliary trenching mechanism. The chain mechanism breaks the soil first, and then the jet mechanism is started to open the trench at the same time.
[0025] S7. When the trenching machine is operating on a soft soil seabed, the trenching machine can switch its walking mode to the four-skid walking mode according to the first three steps. At this time, the auxiliary auger will start synchronously to provide forward power for the trenching machine. At this time, the trenching machine's trenching operation mode uses the jet mechanism as the main trenching method and closes the chain mechanism.
[0026] S8. When the trencher uses a chainsaw for trenching, the chainsaw can be adjusted at an angle between itself and the trencher body according to the trenching depth, with an adjustment range of 0°-45°. The chainsaw can be moved between the front and rear ends of the trencher as needed for the actual project. The cutting power of the chainsaw can be adjusted according to the actual project needs, with a maximum power of 600 kW, a maximum trenching depth of 2.3 m, a maximum trenching width of 0.5 m, a maximum cable diameter of 400 mm, and a bending radius of 5 m.
[0027] S9. When the trenching machine uses the jet mechanism to open trenches, the distance from the jetting arm to the seabed is controlled within the range of 0-2.5 m. The angle between the jetting arm and the seabed can be controlled within the range of 0°-45°. The jetting arm can also be moved between the front and rear ends of the trenching machine according to the actual engineering needs. The jetting power of the jetting arm can be adjusted according to the actual engineering needs, with a maximum power of 900 kW. The trenching depth is 1.0-3.3 m, the jetting arm spacing is 200-600 mm, and it can accommodate a maximum cable diameter of 450 mm.
[0028] S10. When carrying out emergency repairs on submarine cables, the trenching machine can operate without touching the bottom. First, the main crane of the construction vessel lifts the trenching machine body into the seawater. The monitoring system installed at the bottom of the trenching machine starts working and, according to the positioning system of the construction vessel, places the trenching machine in the designated position.
[0029] S11. When the distance between the trenching machine skid and the seabed is 0.6-0.8 m, stop lowering the trenching machine and spray the seabed with two rows of nozzles on the spray arm installed at the bottom of the trenching machine. Adjust the spray power according to the seabed conditions to expose the cables that need to be repaired.
[0030] S12. After the trenching machine starts working, the working status of the trenching machine is monitored in real time through the intelligent control system so that the position of the trenching machine can be adjusted in real time according to the site conditions. After the trenching is completed, the trenching machine is retrieved by the main crane of the construction vessel.
[0031] The beneficial effects of this invention are:
[0032] 1. This invention fully considers the complex seabed composition of the deep sea and the complex working environment of the trenching machine, enabling the trenching machine to switch between tracked and skid walking modes when facing different seabed compositions. This avoids the trouble of changing the trenching machine's walking device when facing different seabed compositions, thereby improving the working efficiency of the trenching machine. The skid walking mode can adapt to soft soil seabeds, while the tracked walking mode can adapt to hard soil seabeds. The four-track drive mode has more advantages in crossing complex terrain and turning on the seabed.
[0033] 2. This invention employs two trenching modes—chainsaw and jet blasting—simultaneously or alternately to adapt to the crushing, cutting, and trenching needs of various seabed substrates, covering a wide range of applications; it also offers multiple trenching methods and broad applicability. The two trenching modes, combined with two walking modes, allow for different walking and trenching modes to be used for different seabed substrates, significantly improving the efficiency of deep-sea cable laying.
[0034] 3. The present invention uses an inclination sensor in the intelligent control system to transmit a signal to the trenching machine control system in a timely manner when it detects that the trenching machine body is unbalanced, so that when the trenching machine suddenly encounters poor bottom material, the trenching machine body is leveled in time, reducing the risk of the trenching machine tilting or overturning.
[0035] 4. This invention changes the distance between the trenching machine body and the seabed by adjusting the height of two types of hydraulic cylinders, thereby adjusting the distance between the trenching machine's jet mechanism, chain mechanism and the seabed to achieve adjustment of the trenching depth.
[0036] 5. The hydraulic system of the present invention can buffer the sudden braking and impact of the trenching machine by controlling the first type of hydraulic cylinder, thereby reducing the wear of the trenching machine. The second type of hydraulic cylinder can help the trenching machine get out of trouble in time when it encounters sinking.
[0037] 6. The non-bottom-contact operation method of the present invention monitors the working status of the trenching machine in real time through an intelligent control system during the trenching machine's operation, so as to adjust the position of the trenching machine in real time according to the site conditions, thereby avoiding contact or scraping of the trenching machine with submarine cables and other submarine facilities, and minimizing the risk of trenching. Attached Figure Description
[0038] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the trenching machine.
[0039] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the walking device.
[0040] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the tracked mode of the tracked-skid walking unit.
[0041] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the tracked-skid walking unit in skid mode.
[0042] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the first type of hydraulic cylinder.
[0043] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the second type of hydraulic cylinder.
[0044] Figure 7 Schematic diagram of jet mechanism and chain mechanism.
[0045] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of an auxiliary propeller.
[0046] In the diagram, 1. Jet mechanism; 101. Jet arm; 10101. Nozzle; 2. Chain mechanism; 201. Chainsaw; 202. Baffle; 3. Walking unit; 301. Tracked walking device; 30101. Walking track; 30102. Transmission gear; 30103. Tractor wheel; 30104. Drive device; 302. Skid walking device; 303. Rotary drive device; 4. First type of hydraulic cylinder; 401. Piston rod; 402. Hydraulic cylinder body; 403. Sealing device; 404. Connecting piece; 5. Second type of hydraulic cylinder; 501. Piston rod; 502. Hydraulic cylinder body; 503. Sealing device; 504. Connecting piece; 6. Support link; 7. Inclination sensor; 8. Sonar; 9. Depth sensor; 10. Auxiliary auger propeller; 11. Trenching machine body. Detailed Implementation
[0047] The present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.
[0048] The structures, proportions, and sizes illustrated in the accompanying drawings are merely for illustrative purposes and to aid those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the invention. They are not intended to limit the scope of the invention and therefore have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to size, without affecting the effectiveness and purpose of the invention, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed herein. Furthermore, the terms "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "middle," and "one" used in this specification are merely for clarity and not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of the invention.
[0049] like Figure 1As shown, a deep-sea trenching machine with switchable walking modes and a non-bottom-touching operation method includes a jet mechanism 1, a chain mechanism 2, a walking unit 3, a first type of hydraulic cylinder 4, a second type of hydraulic cylinder 5, a support link 6, an inclination sensor 7, a sonar 8, a depth sensor 9, an auxiliary screw propeller 10, and a trenching machine body 11.
[0050] like Figure 2 As shown, the walking unit 3 is composed of a tracked walking device 301 and a skid walking device 302 connected by a support link 6, and four walking units are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the trencher body 11.
[0051] like Figure 3 , Figure 4 As shown, the trencher operates in both tracked and skid-mounted modes. Switching between these modes can be completed before or after the trencher reaches the seabed. When the bottom of the trencher is 6-8 meters from the seabed, the main crane of the construction vessel stops the trencher from descending. The first hydraulic cylinder 4, which connects to the four walking units 3 of the trencher, begins to operate. When the four walking units reach a distance of 5-6 meters from the vehicle body, the first hydraulic cylinder 4 stops operating. The rotary drive device 303, connected to the four walking units 3, then starts operating, causing the four walking units 3 to rotate 180° before stopping. The first hydraulic cylinder 4 then retracts to its original position, and the main crane of the construction vessel continues to lower the trencher to the seabed. Once the trencher reaches the seabed, if a switching of the walking mode is required depending on the actual project, the second type of hydraulic cylinder 5 installed on both sides of the trencher body 11 will lift the trencher by the reaction force between the bottom of the second type of hydraulic cylinder 5 and the seabed, so that the bottom 3 of the four walking units of the trencher is kept 6-8m away from the seabed. The rotary drive device 303 connected to the four walking units will start working. The rotary drive device 303 will rotate the four walking units 180° and then stop working. The first type of hydraulic cylinder 4 will shorten to its original position, and the second type of hydraulic cylinder 5 connected to the trencher body 11 will shorten to its original position, returning the four walking units 3 of the trencher to their original positions. When the trenching machine is operating on a hard soil seabed, it can switch its travel mode to a four-track travel mode. In this mode, the trenching operation mode uses the chain mechanism 2 as the main trenching method and the jet mechanism 1 as the auxiliary trenching method. When the trenching machine is operating on a soft soil seabed, it can switch its travel mode to a four-skid travel mode. In this mode, the auxiliary propeller 10 is activated simultaneously to provide forward power for the trenching machine. In this mode, the trenching operation mode uses the jet mechanism 1 as the trenching method and the chain mechanism 2 is turned off.
[0052] like Figure 5As shown, the first type of hydraulic cylinder 4 consists of a piston rod 401, a hydraulic cylinder body 402, and a sealing device 403, and is installed on the trenching machine through a connector 404.
[0053] like Figure 6 As shown, the second type of hydraulic cylinder 5 consists of a piston rod 501, a hydraulic cylinder body 502, and a sealing device 503, and is mounted on the support connecting rod 6 via a connector 504.
[0054] like Figure 1 As shown, the depth sensor 9, sonar 8, and inclination sensor 7 constitute an intelligent control system, which is controlled by the intelligent control system of the trenching machine. It is used to monitor the distance between the trenching machine and the seabed, to determine whether the trenching machine's status meets the conditions for switching the walking mode, whether it can achieve non-bottom-contact operation, and to control the trenching machine's balance system. When the trenching machine tilts, the inclination sensor provides timely feedback, thereby the intelligent control system controls the first type of hydraulic cylinder to restore the trenching machine's balance in a timely manner. When carrying out emergency repairs on submarine cables, the trenching machine can operate without touching the seabed. First, the main crane of the construction vessel lowers the trenching machine body 11 into the seawater. The depth sensor installed at the bottom of the trenching machine starts working, and the trenching machine is placed in the designated position according to the positioning system of the construction vessel. When the distance between the trenching machine's skid traveling device 302 and the seabed is 0.6-0.8 m, the trenching machine is lowered. The two rows of nozzles 10101 on the spraying arm 101 at the bottom of the trenching machine adjust the spraying power according to the seabed conditions to spray the seabed and expose the cable that needs repair. After the trenching machine starts working, the working status of the trenching machine is monitored in real time through the intelligent control system so that the position of the trenching machine can be adjusted in real time according to the site conditions. After the trenching is completed, the trenching machine is retrieved by the main crane of the construction vessel. Example
[0055] Before starting the trenching work, a preliminary assessment of the seabed sediment is conducted, and the travel mode is switched before the trenching machine reaches the seabed.
[0056] Before the trenching machine reaches the seabed, the main crane of the construction vessel lifts the trenching machine body into the water, and the depth sensor installed at the bottom of the trenching machine starts to work.
[0057] When the bottom of the trencher is 6-8 meters from the seabed, the main crane of the construction vessel stops the trencher from descending, and the first type of hydraulic cylinder connecting the four traveling units of the trencher starts to work. The first type of hydraulic cylinder extends to bring the four traveling units to a suitable distance from the vehicle body, and then the hydraulic cylinder stops working.
[0058] After the first hydraulic cylinder stops working, the rotary drive device connected to the four traveling units starts working. The rotary drive device rotates the four traveling units 180° and then stops working. The first hydraulic cylinder shortens to its original position, and the main crane of the construction vessel continues to lower the trencher to the seabed.
[0059] If the trencher needs to switch its walking mode after reaching the seabed, the second type of hydraulic cylinder, which is connected to the trencher body by the support linkage, will start working. The bottom of the second type of hydraulic cylinder will start to extend towards the seabed. The reaction force between the bottom of the second type of hydraulic cylinder and the seabed will lift the trencher, so that the four walking units of the trencher maintain a certain distance from the seabed.
[0060] Once the four traveling units of the trenching machine are at a certain distance from the seabed, the first type of hydraulic cylinder connecting the four traveling units to the trenching machine body starts working, causing the four traveling units of the trenching machine to reach a suitable distance from the vehicle body, and then the first type of hydraulic cylinder stops working.
[0061] After the first hydraulic cylinder stops working, the rotary drive device connected to the four traveling units starts working. The rotary drive device rotates the four traveling units 180° and then stops working. The first hydraulic cylinder shortens to its original position, and the second hydraulic cylinder also shortens to its original position, returning the four traveling units of the trencher to their original positions.
[0062] When carrying out minor repairs on subsea pipelines and cables, a non-bottom-contact operation method can be used. When the trenching machine starts working, the positioning system is activated. First, the main crane of the construction vessel lifts the trenching machine body into the seawater, and the depth sensor installed at the bottom of the trenching machine starts working.
[0063] When the trenching machine's skid is 0.6 meters from the seabed, the trenching machine is lowered. Multiple small nozzles at the bottom of the trenching machine then blow away the sediment from the seabed. Under the action of ocean currents, the seawater at the bottom dilutes and carries away the blown-up sediment. Once the trenching machine starts working, its working status is monitored in real time by an intelligent control system, allowing for adjustments to its position based on site conditions. After trenching is completed, the trenching machine is retrieved using the main crane of the construction vessel.
[0064] This method enables precise, small-scale operations, avoids contact between the trenching machine and submarine facilities such as pipelines, improves operational efficiency, minimizes trenching risks, and also reduces damage to the submarine ecosystem.
[0065] When the trenching machine is operating on a hard soil seabed, it can switch its travel mode to four-track travel mode. In this mode, the trenching operation mode uses the chain mechanism as the main trenching method and the jet mechanism as the auxiliary trenching method. The chain mechanism breaks the soil first, and then the jet mechanism is activated to open the trench simultaneously. When the trenching machine is operating on a soft soil seabed, it can switch its travel mode to four-skid travel mode according to the previous three steps. In this mode, the auxiliary propeller is activated simultaneously to provide forward power for the trenching machine. In this mode, the trenching operation mode uses the jet mechanism to open the trench, and the chain mechanism is turned off.
Claims
1. A non-bottom-contact operation method for a deep-sea trenching machine with switchable walking modes, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Before the trenching machine reaches the seabed for operation, the main crane of the construction vessel will lift the trenching machine body into the water, and the depth sensor installed at the bottom of the trenching machine will start working. S2. When the bottom of the trencher is 6-8 m from the seabed, the main crane of the construction vessel stops the trencher from descending, and the first type of hydraulic cylinder connecting the four traveling units of the trencher starts to work. When the four traveling units reach a distance of 5-6 m from the vehicle body, the first type of hydraulic cylinder stops working. S3. After the first type of hydraulic cylinder stops working, the rotary drive device connected to the four walking units starts working. The rotary drive device rotates the four walking units 180° and then stops working. The first type of hydraulic cylinder is shortened to its original position, and the main crane of the construction vessel continues to lower the trencher to the seabed. S4. When the trencher reaches the seabed, if the actual project requires switching the walking mode, activate the second type of hydraulic cylinder installed on both sides of the trencher. The reaction force between the bottom of the second type of hydraulic cylinder and the seabed will support the trencher, so that the bottom of the four walking units of the trencher is kept 6-8 m away from the seabed. S5. When the second type of hydraulic cylinder stops working, the rotary drive device connected to the four walking units starts working. The rotary drive device rotates the four walking units 180° and then stops working. The first hydraulic cylinder is shortened to its original position, and the second type of hydraulic cylinder connected to the trencher body is shortened to its original position, putting the four walking units of the trencher back to their original positions. S6. When the trenching machine is operating on a hard soil seabed, the trenching machine can switch its walking mode to a four-track walking mode according to the three steps of S3, S4 and S5. At this time, the trenching operation mode of the trenching machine is mainly based on the chain mechanism and the jet mechanism is used as an auxiliary trenching method. The chain mechanism breaks the soil first, and then the jet mechanism is started to open the trench at the same time. S7. When the seabed geology of the trenching machine is soft soil seabed, the trenching machine can switch the trenching machine's walking mode to the four-skid walking mode according to the three steps of S3, S4 and S5. At this time, the auxiliary screw propeller is started synchronously to provide forward power for the trenching machine. At this time, the trenching machine's trenching operation mode uses the jet mechanism as the main trenching method and the chain mechanism is closed. S8. When the trencher uses a chainsaw to trench, the chainsaw can be adjusted at an angle between itself and the trencher body according to the trenching depth, with an adjustment range of 0°-45°. The chainsaw can be moved between the front and rear ends of the trencher as needed for the actual project. The cutting power of the chainsaw can be adjusted according to the actual project needs, with a maximum power of 600 kW, a maximum trenching depth of 2.3 m, a maximum trenching width of 0.5 m, a maximum cable diameter of 400 mm, and a bending radius of 5 m. S9. When the trenching machine uses the jet mechanism to open trenches, the distance from the jetting arm to the seabed is controlled within the range of 0-2.5m. The angle between the jetting arm and the seabed can be controlled within the range of 0°-45°. The jetting arm can also be moved between the front and rear ends of the trenching machine according to the actual engineering needs. The jetting power of the jetting arm can be adjusted according to the actual engineering needs, with a maximum jetting power of 900 kW, a trenching depth of 1.0-3.3 m, a jetting arm spacing of 200-600 mm, and can accommodate a maximum cable diameter of 450 mm. S10. When carrying out emergency repairs on submarine cables, the trenching machine can operate without touching the bottom. First, the main crane of the construction vessel lifts the trenching machine body into the seawater. The monitoring system installed at the bottom of the trenching machine starts working and, according to the positioning system of the construction vessel, places the trenching machine in the designated position. S11. When the distance between the trenching machine skid and the seabed is 0.6-0.8 m, stop lowering the trenching machine and spray the seabed with two rows of nozzles on the spray arm installed at the bottom of the trenching machine. Adjust the spray power according to the seabed geological conditions to expose the cables that need to be repaired. S12. After the trenching machine starts working, the working status of the trenching machine is monitored in real time through the intelligent control system so that the position of the trenching machine can be adjusted in real time according to the site conditions. After the trenching is completed, the trenching machine is retrieved by the main crane of the construction vessel.
2. A deep-sea trenching machine with switchable walking modes, characterized in that, The system includes a trenching system, a walking power unit, a hydraulic system, support linkages, an intelligent control system, and a trenching machine body. The trenching system includes a jetting mechanism and a chain mechanism. The jetting mechanism includes a spray arm, and the chain mechanism includes a chainsaw and a baffle. Both the jetting mechanism and the chain mechanism are located at the bottom of the trenching machine body. The walking power unit includes a tracked walking device, a skid walking device, and an auxiliary auger propeller. The hydraulic system includes four hydraulic cylinders of each type, arranged in the front, rear, left, and right directions of the trenching machine body. The tracked walking device and the skid walking device each consist of four tracks and four skids. The walking devices are connected by support rods to form four walking units, which are symmetrically arranged in the front, rear, left, and right directions of the trenching machine body. They are connected to the trenching machine body through a first type of hydraulic rod. The auxiliary auger propeller is connected to the tail of the trenching machine and can rotate up, down, left, and right. When the trenching machine is traveling in skid mode, it provides power to the trenching machine. The tracked walking device includes walking tracks, transmission gears, towing wheels, a drive device, and a rotary drive device. Through the hydraulic system and the rotary drive device, the trenching machine can switch between tracked walking device and skid walking device. The distance between the skid walking device and the tracked walking device is maintained at 0.3-0.5 m.
3. A deep-sea trenching machine with switchable walking modes according to claim 2, characterized in that, There are two auxiliary screw propellers, which are arranged on the rear side of the trencher body. When the trencher switches to skid mode, the auxiliary screw propellers start working simultaneously to provide power for the trencher to move.
4. A deep-sea trenching machine with switchable walking modes according to claim 2, characterized in that, There are two spray arms, which are symmetrically arranged at the bottom of the trencher. Each spray arm consists of two rows of nozzles.
5. A deep-sea trenching machine with switchable walking modes according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first type of hydraulic cylinder includes a piston rod, a hydraulic cylinder body, and a sealing device. There are four of the first type of hydraulic cylinders, which are used to connect the four traveling units to the trenching machine body.
6. A deep-sea trenching machine with switchable walking modes according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second type of hydraulic cylinder includes a piston rod, a hydraulic cylinder body, and a sealing device. There are four of the second type of hydraulic cylinders, which are connected to the trenching machine body through a support connecting rod.
7. A deep-sea trenching machine with switchable walking modes according to claim 2, characterized in that, The support linkages are of two types. The first type has 16 linkages, with 4 linkages forming a group to form 4 walking units, which are used to connect the track walking device and the skid walking device. The second type has 4 linkages, which are used to connect the second type of hydraulic cylinder to the trenching machine body.
8. A deep-sea trenching machine with switchable walking modes according to claim 2, characterized in that, The intelligent control system includes sonar, depth sensor, and inclination sensor, which are respectively installed on the bottom and sides of the trenching machine body.
9. A deep-sea trenching machine with switchable walking modes according to claim 8, characterized in that, Sonar and depth sensors are used to monitor the distance between the bottom of the trenching machine and the seabed. When the trenching machine is unbalanced, the inclination sensor installed on the chassis of the trenching machine sends a signal, and the intelligent control system adjusts the first hydraulic cylinder to restore the trenching machine to a balanced state.