Ice area residing deicing device special for ocean platform and application of ice area residing deicing device

Abstract

The invention belongs to the field of ocean platforms, and discloses a special ice area residing deicing device for an ocean platform, which comprises a deicing device arranged on the periphery of a pile leg of the ocean platform, the deicing device expands or contracts through air inflation or air exhaust, and an ice layer formed on the outer surface of the deicing device is damaged through expansion. The pile leg ice layer is removed in a physical ice breaking mode, workers do not need to remove ice, the removal efficiency of the pile leg ice layer is improved, and meanwhile the workload of the workers is reduced. The invention further discloses application of the ice area residing deicing device special for the ocean platform.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention belongs to the field of marine platforms, and relates to a special ice zone resident deicing device for marine platforms and application thereof. Background Art

[0002] The Arctic region is rich in submarine oil and gas resources, with proven crude oil reserves of 90 billion barrels and natural gas reserves of more than 47 trillion cubic meters, accounting for 13% of the world's untapped oil reserves and 30% of untapped natural gas reserves. It is an important resource development area in the future. However, the polar climate is extremely harsh, with low temperatures and ice all year round. As important offshore oil and gas production equipment, offshore platforms need to stay on the sea surface for a long time during oil production operations in polar ice areas. Low temperatures and seawater will cause the pile legs of the offshore platform to freeze. The freezing of the pile legs will increase the weight of the offshore platform's own structure, which may affect the weight center of gravity and overall stability of the offshore platform, and may also affect the integrity of the structure and the normal use of the equipment.

[0003] At present, the commonly used de-icing technologies in the field of ships and offshore platforms are generally divided into three types: thermal ice melting method; physical ice breaking method; chemical coating method. When the offshore platform stays in the ice area, the pile legs come into contact with the seawater, which will cause ice formation. Since the height of the offshore platform itself is tens of meters, there are various problems in de-icing the pile legs when operating at sea. For example, during manual de-icing, it is difficult for the staff and de-icing equipment to reach the frozen position of the pile legs for de-icing, resulting in the problem of secondary icing; the use of thermal ice melting method will consume a lot of heat energy, and there is also the problem of secondary icing; the use of chemical coating method will greatly increase the production cost of the offshore platform, and still cannot completely avoid icing. Summary of the invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a special ice zone resident de-icing device for offshore platforms. An inflatable and deflable airbag is arranged on the pile legs of the offshore platform. The volume expansion of the airbag when inflated is utilized to generate destructive stress in the ice layer on the surface of the airbag, thereby breaking the ice layer and achieving the de-icing effect.

[0005] In order to achieve the above-mentioned purpose, as a first aspect, the technical solution of the present invention is to provide a de-icing device for ice area retention on an offshore platform, including a de-icing device arranged on the periphery of the legs of the offshore platform, the de-icing device is expanded or contracted by inflation or exhaust, and the ice layer formed on its outer surface is destroyed by expansion. The ice layer on the legs is removed by physical ice breaking, and no de-icing is required by staff, which improves the removal efficiency of the ice layer on the legs and reduces the workload of staff.

[0006] According to the present invention, further, the deicing device comprises an air bag fixedly connected to the pile leg, and the air bag has expansion and contraction performance.

[0007] According to the present invention, further, the airbag has an air inlet and an air outlet, and the airbag is expanded or contracted through the air inlet and the air outlet, so as to facilitate the control of air inlet and air outlet of the airbag.

[0008] According to the present invention, further, the air inlet is provided with an air pump for inflation, the air outlet is provided with a valve for controlling the on-off thereof, and a controller electrically connected to the air pump and the valve for controlling the operation of the two is also included, and the air intake or exhaust is controlled by the controller. The electric control structure is used to realize the control of the airbag, improve the control efficiency, and accurately control the air intake amount.

[0009] According to the present invention, further, the controller is located in the staff operating area.

[0010] According to the present invention, further, the controller is electrically connected to the air pump and the valve respectively using circuits.

[0011] According to the present invention, further, the circuit has an insulating protection layer.

[0012] According to the present invention, further, the de-icing device is arranged on the periphery of the pile legs between below the platform deck of the offshore platform and the sea surface.

[0013] As a second aspect, the present invention further provides an application of an ice zone resident deicing device for an offshore platform, comprising the following steps:

[0014] When de-icing is required, the airbag is filled with gas to expand. During the expansion of the airbag, destructive force is exerted on the inner surface of the airbag, causing the ice layer to break and fall off, thus completing the de-icing work.

[0015] After de-icing, the gas in the airbag is discharged to restore the airbag to its contracted state;

[0016] After a certain period of time, repeat the above process again to perform interval cycle de-icing operations.

[0017] Preferably, the total capacity Q of the airbag satisfies the relationship: q×t≤Q, where q is the air intake volume of the air pump per unit time, and t is the air intake time.

[0018] The beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0019] 1. The deicing device of the present invention has a simple working principle, low production cost, good economy, can effectively de-ice, can avoid secondary icing of the pile leg structure, and can realize automatic control and adapt to different low temperature and marine environment changes.

[0020] 2. The airbags with matching height can be set according to the height of the pile legs, and the ice layer around the pile legs of any height can be processed, solving the problem that the pile legs are too high and it is difficult for the staff to reach the de-icing position.

[0021] 3. Compared with the commonly used thermal ice melting method, the physical ice breaking method can not only save a lot of energy consumption, but also does not require special coating treatment on the pile legs, reducing costs while improving de-icing efficiency. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the installation of the airbag of the present invention and the pile legs of the offshore platform;

[0023] Figure 2 It is a structural schematic diagram of an ice zone resident deicing device dedicated to an offshore platform of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 3 This is a working diagram of a special ice zone resident deicing device for an offshore platform according to the present invention;

[0025] Figure 4a It is a schematic diagram of the airbag in the contracted state of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4b It is a schematic diagram of the outer surface of the airbag of the present invention being frozen and inflated;

[0027] Figure 4c It is a schematic diagram of the air bag expansion and ice breaking state of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 4d It is a schematic diagram of the air bag of the present invention in the contracted state after breaking the ice. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0029] The present invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments. It should be understood that these embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. In addition, it should be understood that after reading the content taught by the present invention, those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications to the present invention, and these equivalent forms fall within the scope limited by the appended claims of the application equally.

[0030] See also Figure 1, is a schematic diagram of the installation of the airbag and the pile leg of the offshore platform; the embodiment of the present application discloses a special ice zone resident deicing device for offshore platforms, which is used in cold areas to remove the ice layer formed after the pile leg contacts the seawater and reduce the formation of ice on the pile leg. The bottom of the offshore platform 11 is fixedly connected with the pile leg 12, which extends to the seabed and is fixed to provide support for the offshore platform 11. In cold weather, ice will form at the contact between the pile leg 12 and the sea. As the ice layer becomes thicker and thicker, the weight of the offshore platform 11 itself will increase, which may affect the weight center of gravity and overall stability of the offshore platform 11, and may also affect the integrity of the structure and the normal use of the equipment. To solve this problem, an expandable deicing device 13 is arranged on the periphery of the pile leg 12; the deicing device 13 is arranged on the periphery of the pile leg 12 between the platform deck of the offshore platform 11 and the sea surface; when ice forms, the deicing device 13 expands and increases in volume, so that destructive stress is generated in the ice layer on the surface of the deicing device 13, thereby breaking the ice layer on the periphery of the pile leg 12 to achieve the deicing effect.

[0031] Specifically, see Figure 2 , which is a structural schematic diagram of a de-icing device for ice area residence dedicated to an offshore platform; the de-icing device 13 includes an air bag 21 fixedly mounted on the periphery of the pile leg 12, and the air bag 21 has an air inlet 25 and an air outlet 26, and the air bag 21 is expanded or contracted through the air inlet 25 and the air outlet 26. When de-icing is required, the air outlet 26 is closed, the air inlet 25 is connected, and air is inflated into the air bag 21. The expansion of the air bag 21 destroys the ice layer formed on its outer surface, thereby achieving the purpose of de-icing; after de-icing, the air supply is stopped, and the air outlet is opened to release air, so that the air bag 21 returns to the contracted state. In order to increase the service life of the air bag 21, the air bag 21 is made of an elastic material with good scalability. The best choice is high-elastic rubber, and PVC material can also be selected. The selected material should have sufficient thickness and strength, and good air tightness to ensure that no leakage occurs during use.

[0032] In order to avoid the air inlet 25 and the air outlet 26 from being blocked in cold weather, appropriate measures should be taken to keep them unblocked; optionally, the air inlet 25 and the air outlet 26 can be partially electrically heated, and heating wires can be set at the air inlet 25 and the air outlet 26 to reduce the occurrence of blockage; or additional shielding facilities can be added, such as adding a cover, but the cover should be kept at a certain distance from the air inlet and outlet to maintain the air inlet and outlet capabilities. The valve 27 should be kept closed when the air pump is inflating.

[0033] In order to better control the inflation and deflation of the airbag 21, an air pump 24 for inflation is connected to the air inlet 25, and a valve 27 for controlling the on and off thereof is provided at the air outlet 26. A controller 22 electrically connected to the air pump 24 and the valve 27 for controlling the operation of the two is located in the staff operation area, which is convenient for the staff to operate and control. When the airbag 21 needs to be inflated, the valve 27 is closed and the air pump 24 is started; when the airbag 21 needs to be deflated, the air pump 24 is closed and the valve 27 is opened. Among them, the controller 22 uses a circuit 23 to electrically connect to the air pump 24 and the valve 27 respectively, and the circuit 23 has an insulating protective layer.

[0034] Specifically, the air pump power 24 should meet the air intake demand of the device, and the air pump air intake volume q per unit time, the air intake time t, and the total airbag capacity Q satisfy the relationship: q×t≤Q.

[0035] In this embodiment, the airbag 21 and the pile leg 12 are fixedly connected by welding, riveting or by a fixing member 28, so as to ensure the overall stability of the deicing equipment and prevent the equipment from slipping on the pile leg. The top and bottom ends of the airbag 21 are fixedly connected with a metal connection part fixed to the pile leg 12, so as to facilitate welding, riveting or connecting and fixing the airbag 21 to the pile leg 12 by bolts or screws.

[0036] How it works: See Figure 3 , 4a To 4d, it is the flow chart and schematic diagram of the airbag ice breaking process. The specific steps are as follows:

[0037] 1. In a normal state, the airbag 21 is in a contracted state. When the offshore platform 11 stays in the ice area for a period of time, the contact position between the pile legs 12 and the seawater begins to freeze, and an ice layer 31 is formed on the surface of the airbag 21;

[0038] 2. The air pump 24 is started by the controller 22 to start working, and the air inlet 25 is inflated. During the inflation, the valve 27 remains closed, and the air bag 21 begins to expand as the gas increases;

[0039] 3. During the expansion of the airbag 21, destructive force is generated in the ice layer 31, causing the ice layer 31 on the surface of the airbag to break and fall off, thus completing the de-icing work;

[0040] 4. After de-icing is completed, the airbag 21 is switched to the exhaust state, the air pump 24 is turned off, the valve 27 is opened, the gas is discharged from the airbag 21 through the air outlet 26, and the airbag 21 shrinks and returns to the normal state;

[0041] 5. After a certain period of time, such as half an hour, repeat the above process again to keep the ice thickness within a thin removable range. This is to avoid the ice being too thick to be removed.

[0042] The above is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention, and is not any formal or substantial limitation of the present invention. It should be pointed out that ordinary technicians in this technical field can make several improvements and supplements without departing from the present invention, and these improvements and supplements should also be regarded as the protection scope of the present invention. Any technician familiar with this profession, without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, can make some changes, modifications and equivalent changes made by using the technical content disclosed above, which are equivalent embodiments of the present invention; at the same time, any changes, modifications and evolutions of any equivalent changes made to the above embodiments based on the essential technology of the present invention are still within the scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A special ice zone de-icing device for offshore platforms, characterized in that: The invention comprises a deicing device arranged on the periphery of the pile legs of the offshore platform. The deicing device is expanded or contracted by inflation or exhaust, and the ice layer formed on the outer surface thereof is destroyed by the expansion.

2. The ice zone resident deicing device for offshore platforms as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The deicing device comprises an air bag fixedly connected to the pile leg, and the air bag has expansion and contraction performance.

3. The ice zone resident deicing device for offshore platforms as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that: The airbag has an air inlet and an air outlet, and the airbag can be expanded or contracted through the air inlet and the air outlet.

4. The ice zone resident deicing device for offshore platforms as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that: The air inlet is provided with an air pump for inflation, the air outlet is provided with a valve for controlling the on and off of the air inlet, and also includes a controller electrically connected to the air pump and the valve for controlling the operation of both, and the air intake or exhaust is controlled by the controller.

5. The ice zone resident deicing device for offshore platforms as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that: The controller is located in the staff operating area.

6. The ice zone resident deicing device for offshore platforms as claimed in claim 4, characterized in that: The controller is electrically connected to the air pump and the valve respectively by using circuits.

7. The ice zone resident deicing device for offshore platforms as claimed in claim 6, characterized in that: The circuit has an insulating protective layer.

8. The ice zone resident deicing device for offshore platforms as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that: The de-icing device is arranged on the periphery of the pile legs between below the platform deck of the offshore platform and the sea surface.

9. Application of a special ice zone de-icing device for an offshore platform, characterized in that: The method comprises the following steps: when de-icing is required, filling the airbag with gas to inflate the airbag; during the expansion of the airbag, destructive force is generated on the inner surface of the airbag to break and fall off the ice layer, thereby completing the de-icing work; After de-icing, the gas in the airbag is discharged to restore the airbag to its contracted state; After a certain period of time, repeat the above process again to perform interval cycle de-icing operations.

10. Application of the ice zone resident deicing device for offshore platforms as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that: The total capacity Q of the airbag satisfies the relationship: q×t≤Q, where q is the air intake volume of the air pump per unit time, and t is the air intake time.

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