Ballast water conditioning device

By installing a circulating pipeline on the ship to connect all ballast tanks with a ballast water regulating device, the problem of low ballast water regulating efficiency in the prior art is solved, achieving efficient ballast water distribution and improving the stability and safety of the ship.

CN119284075BActive Publication Date: 2025-11-11CCCC FOURTH HARBOR ENG CO LTD
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202411465186.8
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-10-21
Publication Date
2025-11-11
Estimated Expiration
2044-10-21

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing ballast water regulation methods are inefficient, increase the complexity and maintenance costs of ship systems, and reduce safety and reliability.

Method used

The ballast water regulating device employs a control module, a data acquisition module, and a circulation pipeline. The circulation pipeline connects all ballast tanks, enabling the flow and coordination of ballast water between different compartments. The data acquisition module obtains regulation information, which is then efficiently distributed by the control module.

Benefits of technology

It improves the efficiency of ballast water allocation, enables rapid balancing of the ship's center of gravity, reduces system complexity and maintenance costs, and enhances ship safety and reliability.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Patent Text Reader

Abstract

This application provides a ballast water regulating device, relating to the field of ballast water allocation technology. The ballast water regulating device has a circulation module with circulation pipes, and a control module is connected to both a data acquisition module and the circulation module. The circulation pipes are connected to each ballast tank on the ship and are used for the transfer of ballast water between the ballast tanks. The inner diameter of the circulation pipes is determined based on ship information and ballast water allocation information. The data acquisition module acquires ballast water regulating information and sends it to the control module. The control module acquires ballast water allocation information corresponding to the ballast water regulating information and uses the circulation pipes to transfer ballast water to the ballast tanks corresponding to the ballast water allocation information. This application's embodiment can effectively improve the efficiency of ballast water allocation, facilitate rapid balancing of the ship's center of gravity, reduce the complexity and maintenance costs of the ship's systems, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the ship.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of ballast water regulation technology, and more specifically, to a ballast water regulating device. Background Technology

[0002] Ballast water allocation plays a crucial role in ship navigation, especially under varying sea states and load conditions. Proper ballast water distribution directly impacts a ship's stability, safety, and fuel efficiency. During navigation, adjusting ballast water distribution effectively balances the ship's center of gravity and draft, ensuring stable navigation and resistance to adverse factors such as crosswinds and waves. Furthermore, proper ballast water allocation can reduce heel and trim, maintaining stability in adverse sea conditions and preventing accidents caused by hull instability. For large cargo ships and oil tankers with massive cargo capacities, efficient ballast water allocation is essential for both economic efficiency and safety.

[0003] Currently, ballast water allocation on ships is typically handled through individual ballast tanks. Each ballast tank is equipped with an independent pump system capable of controlling water injection and drainage separately. However, this independent operation method requires separate ballast water inlet and outlet channels for each ballast tank, increasing the complexity of the ballast water allocation structure. Furthermore, ballast water allocation necessitates individual pumping operations for different ballast tanks, resulting in low ballast water allocation efficiency when rapid adjustments to the ship's attitude are needed, hindering the quick and efficient balancing of the ship's center of gravity. Moreover, this independent operation method significantly increases the complexity and maintenance costs of the ship's systems, reducing the ship's safety and reliability. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a ballast water regulating device that can solve the problems of low regulation efficiency, increased complexity and maintenance costs of ship systems, and reduced ship safety and reliability caused by existing ballast water regulating methods. To achieve this objective, this application provides the following solutions.

[0005] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a ballast water regulating device is provided, including: a control module, a data acquisition module, and a circulation module provided with a circulation pipeline, wherein the control module is connected to the data acquisition module and the circulation module respectively;

[0006] The circulation pipe is connected to each ballast tank on the ship and is used to transfer ballast water between the ballast tanks. The inner diameter of the circulation pipe is determined based on ship information and ballast water allocation information.

[0007] The data acquisition module is used to acquire ballast water regulation information and send the ballast water regulation information to the control module. The ballast water regulation information includes at least one of the status information of the ballast tank and the ship attitude information.

[0008] The control module is used to acquire ballast water allocation information corresponding to the ballast water regulation information and to transfer ballast water to the ballast tank corresponding to the ballast water allocation information using the circulation pipeline.

[0009] In one possible implementation, the circulation module further includes a water pump and a control valve installed in the circulation pipeline. Each ballast tank has a corresponding control valve and a water pump. The control valve is used to control the flow of ballast water into or out of the ballast tank, and the water pump is used to drive the ballast water to flow between the corresponding ballast tank and the circulation pipeline.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the data acquisition module includes multiple sensors for acquiring the ballast water regulation information, and the sensors include at least one of a water level sensor, a pressure sensor, and a ship attitude sensor.

[0011] In one possible implementation, the length of the circulation pipe is determined based on the ship's layout information and the location of the ballast tanks. The layout information includes at least one of the following: ballast tank distribution information, main engine location, ship equipment location, hull structure, hull center, and operational requirements.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the ballast water regulation information includes tilt angle change information, and the ballast water distribution information includes ballast water transfer amount;

[0013] Obtaining the ballast water allocation information corresponding to the ballast water regulation information includes:

[0014] The target ballast tank for the ballast water to be transferred is determined based on the inclination change information. The stability information of the ship is obtained. The amount of ballast water to be transferred is determined based on the stability information and the inclination change information. The stability information includes the ship's initial stability height, gross weight, and the vertical distance between the center of gravity of the ballast tank and the center of gravity of the ship.

[0015] In one possible implementation, determining the ballast water transfer amount based on the stability information and the tilt angle change information includes:

[0016] Input the stability information and the tilt angle change information into formula (1), and calculate the ballast water transfer amount based on formula (1);

[0017] The formula (1) is:

[0018] Where ΔW is the amount of ballast water transferred; GM is the initial metacentric height of the ship; Δθ represents the change in heel angle; W s The total weight of the ship is h; g is the acceleration due to gravity; h is the acceleration due to gravity. e This is the vertical distance between the center of gravity of the ballast tank and the center of gravity of the ship.

[0019] In one possible implementation, the ballast water allocation information further includes a dynamic attitude adjustment time. The circulation pipeline includes multiple pipeline segments, with each ballast tank corresponding to at least one of the pipeline segments. The determination of the dynamic attitude adjustment time includes:

[0020] Obtain the ballast water flow rate and efficiency factor of the pipeline section corresponding to the target ballast tank, and determine the dynamic attitude adjustment time based on the ballast water flow rate, the ballast water transfer amount, and the efficiency factor.

[0021] In one possible implementation, the ballast water regulation information includes roll angle error and pitch angle error, and the ballast water distribution information includes ballast water transfer amount;

[0022] Obtaining the ballast water allocation information corresponding to the ballast water regulation information includes:

[0023] The amount of ballast water transferred corresponding to the roll angle error and the amount of ballast water transferred corresponding to the pitch angle error are determined based on a preset control algorithm, wherein the preset control algorithm includes a PID control algorithm.

[0024] In one possible implementation, the ballast water transfer in the ballast tank includes:

[0025] Based on the ballast water distribution information, control the operation of the water pumps and control valves corresponding to the ballast tank;

[0026] The data acquisition module is used to collect pressure information from the circulation pipeline, water level information from the ballast tank, and ship attitude information.

[0027] The ballast water regulation information and ballast water allocation information are iteratively updated based on the collected pressure information, water level information, and ship attitude information.

[0028] In one possible implementation, the ballast water regulating device further includes a filtration module installed in the circulation pipeline, and the control module is connected to the filtration module via the data acquisition module to detect the status of the filtration module.

[0029] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided in this application are:

[0030] The ballast water regulating device provided in this application has a circulation module with a circulation pipeline, and a control module is connected to both the data acquisition module and the circulation module. The circulation pipeline is connected to each ballast tank on the ship and is used for the transfer of ballast water between the ballast tanks. The inner diameter of the circulation pipeline is determined based on ship information and ballast water allocation information. The data acquisition module is used to acquire ballast water regulating information and send it to the control module. The ballast water regulating information includes at least one of the status information of the ballast tanks and the ship's attitude information. The control module is used to acquire the ballast water allocation information corresponding to the ballast water regulating information and to use the circulation pipeline to transfer ballast water to the ballast tanks corresponding to the ballast water allocation information. The embodiments of this application can utilize the circulation pipeline to realize the flow and cooperation of ballast water between different ballast tanks, effectively improving the efficiency of ballast water allocation, facilitating the rapid balancing of the ship's center of gravity, reducing the complexity and maintenance costs of the ship system, thereby improving the safety and reliability of the ship. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below.

[0032] Figure 1 A structural diagram of the ballast water regulating device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0033] Figure 2 A frame diagram of the ballast water regulating device provided in the embodiments of this application;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the control module in the ballast water regulating device provided in the embodiments of this application. Detailed Implementation

[0035] The embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary descriptions for explaining the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0036] Those skilled in the art will understand that, unless specifically stated otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” “the,” and “the” used herein may also include the plural forms. It should be further understood that the terms “comprising” and “including” as used in embodiments of this application mean that the corresponding feature can be implemented as the presented feature, information, data, step, operation, element, and / or component, but do not exclude implementation as other features, information, data, step, operation, element, component, and / or combinations thereof supported by the art. It should be understood that when we say that an element is “connected” or “coupled” to another element, the one element can be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or it can mean that the one element and the other element establish a connection relationship through an intermediate element. Furthermore, “connected” or “coupled” as used herein can include wireless connection or wireless coupling. The term “and / or” as used herein indicates at least one of the items defined by the term; for example, “A and / or B” indicates implementation as “A,” or implementation as “A,” or implementation as “A and B.”

[0037] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0038] The technical solutions of this application and their effects are described below through several exemplary embodiments. It should be noted that the following embodiments can be referenced, borrowed from, or combined with each other. Identical terms, similar features, and similar implementation steps in different embodiments will not be repeated.

[0039] The ballast water regulating device provided in this application is intended to solve at least one technical problem existing in the prior art.

[0040] This application provides a ballast water regulating device, such as... Figures 1-3As shown, the ballast water regulating device of this application includes: a control module, a data acquisition module, and a circulation module equipped with a circulation pipeline. The control module is connected to both the data acquisition module and the circulation module. The circulation pipeline is connected to each ballast tank on the ship and is used for the transfer of ballast water between the ballast tanks. The inner diameter of the circulation pipeline is determined based on ship information and ballast water allocation information. The data acquisition module is used to acquire ballast water regulating information and send it to the control module. The ballast water regulating information includes at least one of ballast tank status information and ship attitude information. The control module is used to acquire ballast water allocation information corresponding to the ballast water regulating information and to transfer ballast water to the ballast tanks corresponding to the ballast water allocation information using the circulation pipeline. By connecting the various ballast tanks through the circulation pipeline, ballast water can circulate freely between different compartments, thereby achieving efficient ballast water allocation, improving ship stability, and ensuring navigation safety. This method significantly improves the efficiency of ballast water allocation, enabling the ship to quickly respond to changes in ship attitude and adjust its attitude in a timely manner, thereby improving navigation safety. At the same time, it reduces over-reliance on a single pump and pipeline, lowers equipment wear and energy consumption, and improves the durability of the ballast water distribution device.

[0041] Optionally, the vessel may be equipped with multiple ballast tanks, the number of which can be determined based on factors such as the vessel's size, type, navigation requirements, and stability requirements. These ballast tanks can be located on the port and starboard sides, bow, stern, or other positions that facilitate adjustment of the vessel's attitude after it has listed or trimmed.

[0042] In one embodiment, the ballast tanks are distributed as follows: Figure 2 As shown, the ship has four ballast tanks on both the port and starboard sides, and the ballast tanks on both sides are symmetrically arranged. A circulation pipe is located between the ballast tanks on both sides, and the circulation pipe is connected to each ballast tank.

[0043] Optionally, the circulation module also includes a water pump and a control valve installed in the circulation pipeline. Each ballast tank has a corresponding control valve and water pump. The control valve is used to control the flow of ballast water into or out of the ballast tank, and the water pump is used to drive the ballast water to flow between the corresponding ballast tank and the circulation pipeline.

[0044] Optionally, the circulation pipeline may include a ballast water transmission pipeline and inlet and outlet branch pipes. Each ballast tank is connected to a corresponding inlet and outlet branch pipe. The ballast tank is connected to the ballast water transmission pipeline via the connected inlet and outlet branch pipes, through which ballast water is transmitted to other ballast tanks or received from other ballast tanks. A water pump may be installed on the ballast water transmission pipeline or on the inlet and outlet branch pipes to control the flow of ballast water. Control valves may be installed on the inlet and outlet branch pipes.

[0045] In one embodiment, the control valve can be an electrically controlled valve, and the water pump can be an electrically driven water pump. Both the control valve and the water pump are connected to a control module and operate based on commands sent by the control module. The ballast water transmission pipe may include multiple pipe sections, each corresponding one-to-one with a ballast tank, or two or more pipe sections for each ballast tank. A water pump is installed within each pipe section, driving the ballast water to flow between the circulation pipe and the ballast tanks. The water pump can change the water flow rate according to commands from the control module to meet ballast water regulation requirements.

[0046] Optionally, the ballast water transfer pipe can be a loop-shaped pipe structure, allowing ballast water to flow freely between different ballast tanks. In traditional systems, each ballast tank operates independently, and the water volume must be regulated by external injection or discharge. The loop-shaped ballast water transfer pipe connects all ballast tanks together, forming a closed loop. Water flow can be driven by pumps, moving from one tank to another, making water distribution more flexible and rapid, suitable for responding to rapid changes in the ship's attitude.

[0047] Optionally, the circulation pipeline can be made of corrosion-resistant, high-strength pipe materials, capable of long-term operation in seawater environments. Each ballast tank's corresponding control valve is an electrically operated valve, and the control module can adjust the opening and closing status of the electric valves in real time to control the direction of water flow. The control module can achieve optimized allocation of internal ballast water through this circulation pipeline without altering the ship's external structure.

[0048] Optionally, the ship information may include the ship's size, and the ballast water allocation information may include at least one of the following: ballast water flow range information, water pump flow range information, and ballast water allocation efficiency. Based on this ship information and ballast water allocation information, the corresponding circulation pipe inner diameter range for ships of different sizes can be determined, and the inner diameter of the circulation pipe can be set based on this inner diameter range. The ballast water allocation efficiency can be determined based on the time required to transport ballast water from one ballast tank to another, the response speed of the control module, and the smoothness of the water flow within the pipe.

[0049] In one embodiment, for small vessels (e.g., under 5000 tons), the inner diameter of the circulation pipe can be selected between 50 mm and 100 mm. For large vessels (e.g., cargo ships exceeding 50,000 tons), the diameter of the circulation pipe can be between 200 mm and 400 mm.

[0050] Optionally, to effectively remove suspended solids, microorganisms, and organic matter, prevent ballast water from becoming foul-smelling and breeding bacteria, and improve the cleanliness of the ballast water, the ballast water regulating device also includes a filter module. The filter module is installed in the circulation pipeline, and the control module is connected to the filter module through a data acquisition module to detect the status of the filter module.

[0051] In one embodiment, the filter element material of the filter module may include materials suitable for filtration, such as fine sand and activated carbon. The filter module may employ a modular design for easy periodic replacement, the replacement cycle of which can be determined based on water quality and usage. Specifically, the filtration cycle can be 3 to 6 months. The control module monitors the differential pressure of the filter and prompts for filter element replacement when a set value is reached.

[0052] Optionally, the data acquisition module includes multiple sensors for collecting ballast water regulation information, including at least one of a water level sensor, a pressure sensor, and a ship attitude sensor. The water level sensor monitors the water level in each ballast tank in real time, ensuring that the ballast water volume in each tank remains within a set range. When the control module determines, via the water level sensor, that the water level has reached a preset upper or lower limit, the control module will issue an alarm or automatically adjust the operation of the pumps and valves. The pressure sensor automatically monitors the water pressure in the pipelines to prevent the pumps or valves from overloading. When the control module determines, via the pressure sensor, that the pressure is abnormal, it will adjust the pump speed or valve opening to maintain normal pressure. The ship attitude sensor is used to detect the ship's roll, trim, and draft in real time, and the control module automatically adjusts the ballast water distribution based on the parameters collected by the sensors in the data acquisition module.

[0053] In one embodiment, the control module detects the ship's roll and pitch angles using ship attitude sensors. When the deviation angle of the ship's roll or pitch angle from the corresponding angle in a stable state exceeds a preset threshold (e.g., ±0.5 degrees), it confirms that the ship has experienced an attitude deviation and initiates ballast water adjustment. The control module reads the water level data of each ballast tank using a water level sensor, obtains the ballast water distribution based on this data, and calculates the ballast water volume of each ballast tank based on this distribution. The control module can also detect the water pressure in the circulation pipeline using a pressure sensor and adjust the operating parameters of the water pump based on this pressure to prevent the pipeline pressure from exceeding a predetermined safe pressure range during ballast water adjustment.

[0054] Optionally, the control module may include a power supply unit for powering various units or devices within the control module. The control module may also include a main control unit and, respectively, a battery management unit, an RTC clock unit, a communication unit, an actuator unit, an ADC data acquisition unit, and an intelligent scheduling unit connected to the main control unit. The actuator unit may be connected to the pump controller on the water pump and the valve controller on the control valve. The main control unit can acquire data from the water level sensor, pressure sensor, and ship attitude sensor via the ADC data acquisition unit. The control module, through the main control unit, coordinates the collaborative work of the battery management unit, RTC clock unit, communication unit, actuator unit, ADC data acquisition unit, and intelligent scheduling unit to achieve precise control of the water pump and control valve, and automatically allocate ballast water. The main control unit monitors key parameters such as water level, attitude, and pressure in real time through the ADC data acquisition unit, while the intelligent scheduling unit calculates the optimal allocation scheme based on algorithms to ensure the ship's stability and fuel efficiency. When the ship's attitude changes, such as when it heels excessively in rough seas, the control module can quickly restore the ship's balance by controlling the water pumps and valves to redistribute the ballast water to different ballast tanks in a very short time.

[0055] Optionally, ballast water transfer in the ballast tanks includes: controlling the operation of corresponding pumps and control valves based on ballast water distribution information; collecting pressure information from the circulation pipeline, water level information from the ballast tanks, and ship attitude information using a data acquisition module; and iteratively updating the ballast water regulation and distribution information based on the collected pressure, water level, and ship attitude information. This iterative updating method allows the ballast water in different ballast tanks within the ship to adapt to changes in heel or trim angles, thereby improving the ship's stability.

[0056] Optionally, the length of the circulation pipeline is determined based on the ship's layout information and the location of the ballast tanks. The layout information includes at least one of the following: ballast tank distribution information, main engine location, ship equipment location, hull structure, hull center, and operational requirements.

[0057] In one embodiment, the length range of the circulation pipeline can be determined based on the size of the vessel, and then the specific length of the circulation pipeline can be determined by combining this length range with the vessel's layout information and the location of the ballast tanks. Specifically, for medium-sized vessels (such as those ranging from 5,000 tons to 50,000 tons), the total length of the circulation pipeline can be between 150 meters and 300 meters.

[0058] Optionally, the circulating pipe can be made of corrosion-resistant materials (such as stainless steel or high-strength polymers). The thickness of the circulating pipe can be determined based on the water pressure range it withstands during ballast water regulation and the sea conditions under which the ship navigates. If components in the circulating pipe are exposed to high pressure or submerged in seawater for extended periods, the thickness of those components can be increased to ensure the service life and safety of the circulating pipe. The circulating pipe connects to the ballast tank and water pump via standard flange interfaces, the dimensions of which match the pipe diameter. Pipe connections can be designed to be detachable for maintenance or replacement as needed. Specific circulating pipe wall thicknesses can range from 3 mm to 10 mm.

[0059] Optionally, the total capacity of the ballast tanks depends on the type and size of the vessel. The total capacity of ballast water in all ballast tanks is approximately 20% to 30% of the vessel's deadweight. For example, for a vessel with a deadweight of 50,000 tons, the total ballast water capacity can be between 10,000 and 15,000 cubic meters.

[0060] Optionally, the water pump employs variable frequency drive technology, enabling flexible adjustment of the flow rate according to the ballast water regulation requirements, thus reducing energy consumption. Electric valves allow the control module to precisely control the water flow path, switching the water flow between different ballast tanks based on real-time ship attitude and sea conditions, quickly adjusting the ship's center of gravity. The pump's flow rate can be determined based on the acquired ballast water regulation rate, and the pump's head can be determined based on the ballast water delivery pressure in the circulation pipeline.

[0061] In one embodiment, the flow rate of the water pump is 500 to 2000 cubic meters per hour, and the head of the water pump is 20 to 50 meters of water column.

[0062] Optionally, the ballast water regulation information includes inclination angle change information, and the ballast water allocation information includes the amount of ballast water transferred. Obtaining the ballast water allocation information corresponding to the ballast water regulation information includes: determining the target ballast tank for the ballast water to be transferred based on the inclination angle change information, obtaining the ship's stability information, and determining the amount of ballast water transferred based on the stability information and the inclination angle change information. The stability information includes the ship's initial stability height, gross weight, and the vertical distance between the center of gravity of the ballast tank and the center of gravity of the ship.

[0063] Optionally, the heel change information includes changes in the ship's roll or pitch angle. The ship's initial stability height is the height at which the ship is in a stable state (e.g., both roll and pitch angles are zero). The target ballast tank for ballast water transfer can be determined based on the heel change information and predetermined ballast water adjustment rules (e.g., the ballast tanks requiring ballast water adjustment corresponding to different heel angles and their magnitudes).

[0064] Specifically, the ballast water transfer amount is determined based on stability information and tilt angle change information, including: inputting stability information and tilt angle change information into formula (1), and calculating the ballast water transfer amount based on formula (1); formula (1) is:

[0065] Where ΔW is the amount of ballast water transferred; GM is the initial metacentric height of the ship; Δθ represents the change in heel angle; W s The total weight of the ship is h; g is the acceleration due to gravity; h is the acceleration due to gravity. e This is the vertical distance between the center of gravity of the ballast tank and the center of gravity of the ship.

[0066] Optionally, after obtaining the ballast water transfer volume, the dynamic attitude adjustment time for this ballast water regulation can be obtained based on this transfer volume. The range of this dynamic attitude adjustment time can be limited to 30 seconds to 2 minutes. The specific dynamic attitude adjustment time can be determined based on the pump flow rate, the pressure that the circulation pipeline can withstand, the pipeline diameter and length, and the ballast water transfer volume.

[0067] In one embodiment, the circulation pipeline includes multiple pipeline segments, and each ballast tank corresponds to one of the pipeline segments. The determination of the dynamic attitude adjustment time includes: obtaining the ballast water flow rate and efficiency factor of the pipeline segment corresponding to the target ballast tank, and determining the dynamic attitude adjustment time based on the ballast water flow rate, ballast water transfer amount and efficiency factor.

[0068] Specifically, the ballast water flow rate can be the flow rate of the pump when transferring ballast water. This flow rate can be preset or determined based on the amount of ballast water transferred; the larger the amount of ballast water transferred, the larger the pump flow rate. This can be achieved through... Calculate the dynamic attitude adjustment time, where η is the pipeline efficiency coefficient and Q is the pump flow rate. After obtaining the dynamic attitude adjustment time, check whether it falls within a defined range. If not, adjust the pump flow rate (increase or decrease) to bring the dynamic attitude adjustment time within that range. The pipeline efficiency coefficient can be set through fluid dynamics simulation or practical experience, typically between 0.7 and 0.9.

[0069] Optionally, a preset control algorithm can be used to obtain the ballast water transfer amount and perform ballast water allocation based on the ballast water transfer amount. The ballast water adjustment information may include heel angle error and pitch angle error, and the ballast water allocation information includes the ballast water transfer amount; obtaining the ballast water allocation information corresponding to the ballast water adjustment information includes: determining the heel ballast water transfer amount corresponding to the heel angle error and the pitch ballast water transfer amount corresponding to the pitch angle error based on the preset control algorithm, and the preset control algorithm includes a PID control algorithm.

[0070] Optionally, the roll angle error can be the deviation between the current roll angle and the target roll angle, and the pitch angle error can be the error between the current pitch angle and the target pitch angle. Specifically, the target roll angle and the target pitch angle can be 0 degrees or a set optimal value, which can be determined based on the roll angle and pitch angle when the ship is in a stable state.

[0071] In one embodiment, the yaw angle error can be expressed as: e 横 (t)=θ 横目标 -θ 横 (t), the pitch angle error can be expressed as: e 纵 (t)=θ 纵目标 -θ 纵 (t). Among them, e 横 (t) represents the tilt angle error, θ 横目标 Let θ be the target tilt angle. 横 (t) represents the current paddle angle, e 纵 (t) represents the pitch angle error, θ 纵目标 Let θ be the target pitch angle. 纵 (t) represents the current pitch angle.

[0072] Ballast water transfer required to correct heel Among them, u 横 (t) is the amount of ballast water transferred to correct the roll. This is the proportionality coefficient corresponding to the tilt. The integral coefficients corresponding to the tilt are... is the differential coefficient corresponding to the tilt.

[0073] Ballast water transfer required to correct trim Among them, u 纵 (t) is the amount of ballast water transferred to correct the trim. This is the proportionality coefficient corresponding to the longitudinal tilt. The integral coefficient corresponding to the pitch is denoted as . is the differential coefficient corresponding to the longitudinal tilt.

[0074] Optionally, the proportional coefficient, integral coefficient, and derivative coefficient related to the PID control algorithm can be determined using the Ziegler-Nichols tuning method.

[0075] In one embodiment, K can be I and K D Setting it to 0 adjusts only the scaling factor K. p Gradually increase K p This continues until the algorithm's output shows a sustained oscillation (K can be considered at this point). p The value is determined as the critical proportion K.cr Record this ratio and the oscillation period T. cr Based on this critical proportionality value and period, the proportionality coefficient, integral coefficient, and differential coefficient are determined. The relevant calculation formulas are as follows:

[0076] K p =0.6·K cr

[0077]

[0078] Optionally, the amount of ballast water transferred from each ballast tank can be determined based on the location and available volume of the ballast tank, and during the ballast water transfer process, a water level sensor is used to detect the water level in the ballast tank to ensure that the water level is within a safe range.

[0079] Optionally, during the adjustment process, ship attitude data is continuously collected, the ship's attitude error e(t) (including roll and pitch errors) is updated, and the ballast water transfer volume is adjusted in real time to achieve closed-loop control. When the attitude error e(t) is less than the preset allowable range (e.g., ±0.1 degrees), the adjustment is stopped.

[0080] In one embodiment, while the ship is sailing at sea, it suddenly encounters a strong crosswind, causing the ship to heel at a 2-degree angle. The ship's attitude sensors detect in real time that the heel angle has reached 2 degrees, exceeding the preset safety threshold (±0.5 degrees). The control module immediately issues an alarm and begins calculating the amount of ballast water to be transferred. The water level sensors show that the water level in the port ballast tank is 80% and the water level in the starboard ballast tank is 50%. The pressure sensors show that the pressure in the circulation pipeline is within normal limits and safe for operation. Based on the PID control algorithm, it is determined that approximately 200 tons of ballast water need to be transferred from the port ballast tank to the starboard ballast tank. The control module opens the outlet valve of the port ballast tank and the inlet valve of the starboard ballast tank, and the water pump operates at a flow rate of 100 tons per minute, with the adjustment expected to be completed within 2 minutes. During the adjustment process, the pressure sensors continuously monitor the pipeline pressure to ensure that it does not exceed the safe range. After the adjustment is completed, the attitude sensors show that the heel angle has recovered to within 0.1 degrees. The control module records the data of this adjustment process for future analysis and optimization.

[0081] The ballast water regulating device provided in this application embodiment has a circulation module with a circulation pipeline, and a control module is connected to both the data acquisition module and the circulation module. The circulation pipeline is connected to each ballast tank on the ship and is used for the transfer of ballast water between the ballast tanks. The inner diameter of the circulation pipeline is determined based on ship information and ballast water allocation information. The data acquisition module is used to acquire ballast water regulating information and send it to the control module. The ballast water regulating information includes at least one of the status information of the ballast tanks and the ship's attitude information. The control module is used to acquire the ballast water allocation information corresponding to the ballast water regulating information and to use the circulation pipeline to transfer ballast water to the ballast tanks corresponding to the ballast water allocation information. This application embodiment can use the circulation pipeline to realize the flow and cooperation of ballast water between different ballast tanks, effectively improve the efficiency of ballast water allocation, facilitate the rapid balancing of the ship's center of gravity, reduce the complexity and maintenance cost of the ship system, and thus improve the safety and reliability of the ship.

[0082] The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," "1," "2," etc. (if present) in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in a sequence other than that shown in the figures or text.

[0083] It should be understood that although arrows indicate various operation steps in the flowcharts of this application's embodiments, the order in which these steps are implemented is not limited to the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, in some implementation scenarios of this application's embodiments, the implementation steps in each flowchart can be executed in other orders as required. Furthermore, some or all steps in each flowchart, based on the actual implementation scenario, may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages. Some or all of these sub-steps or stages can be executed at the same time, and each sub-step or stage can also be executed at different times. In scenarios where execution times differ, the execution order of these sub-steps or stages can be flexibly configured according to requirements, and this application's embodiments do not limit this.

[0084] The above description is only an optional implementation method for some implementation scenarios of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, other similar implementation methods based on the technical concept of this application without departing from the technical concept of this application also fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A ballast water regulating device, characterized in that, include: The system includes a control module, a data acquisition module, and a circulation module with a circulation pipeline, wherein the control module is connected to the data acquisition module and the circulation module, respectively. The circulation pipeline is connected to each ballast tank on the ship and is used for the transfer of ballast water between the ballast tanks. The inner diameter of the circulation pipeline is determined based on ship information and ballast water allocation information. The circulation pipeline includes multiple pipeline sections, and each ballast tank has at least one pipeline section. The ballast water allocation information includes at least one of the following: ballast water flow range information, water pump flow range information, and ballast water allocation efficiency. The ballast water allocation efficiency is determined based on the time required to transport ballast water from one ballast tank to another, the response speed of the control module, and the smoothness of the water flow in the pipeline. The data acquisition module is used to acquire ballast water regulation information and send the ballast water regulation information to the control module. The ballast water regulation information includes at least one of the status information of the ballast tank and the ship attitude information. The control module is used to acquire ballast water allocation information corresponding to the ballast water regulation information and to use the circulation pipeline to transfer ballast water to the ballast tank corresponding to the ballast water allocation information. The ballast water allocation information includes dynamic attitude adjustment time, which is calculated using the following formula: Where t is the dynamic attitude adjustment time. It is the pipeline efficiency coefficient. For water pump flow rate, The ballast water transfer volume is determined by the pump flow rate, which is adjusted based on whether the dynamic attitude adjustment time is within a defined range, and the pipeline efficiency coefficient is between 0.7 and 0.

9.

2. The ballast water regulating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The circulation module also includes a water pump and a control valve installed in the circulation pipeline. Each ballast tank has a corresponding control valve and a water pump. The control valve is used to control the flow of ballast water into or out of the ballast tank, and the water pump is used to drive the ballast water to flow between the corresponding ballast tank and the circulation pipeline.

3. The ballast water regulating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The data acquisition module includes multiple sensors for acquiring the ballast water regulation information, including at least one of a water level sensor, a pressure sensor, and a ship attitude sensor.

4. The ballast water regulating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the circulation pipeline is determined based on the ship's layout information and the location of the ballast tanks. The layout information includes at least one of the following: ship equipment location, hull structure, and operational requirements.

5. The ballast water regulating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ballast water regulation information includes tilt angle change information, and the ballast water distribution information includes the amount of ballast water transferred. Obtaining the ballast water allocation information corresponding to the ballast water regulation information includes: The target ballast tank for the ballast water to be transferred is determined based on the inclination change information. The stability information of the ship is obtained. The amount of ballast water to be transferred is determined based on the stability information and the inclination change information. The stability information includes the ship's initial stability height, gross weight, and the vertical distance between the center of gravity of the ballast tank and the center of gravity of the ship.

6. The ballast water regulating device according to claim 5, characterized in that, Determining the ballast water transfer amount based on the stability information and the tilt angle change information includes: Input the stability information and the tilt angle change information into formula (1), and calculate the ballast water transfer amount based on formula (1); The formula (1) is: (1) in, This refers to the amount of ballast water transferred. This is the initial metacentric height of the ship; Indicates information about changes in tilt angle; It is the total weight of the ship; It is the acceleration due to gravity; This is the vertical distance between the center of gravity of the ballast tank and the center of gravity of the ship.

7. The ballast water regulating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ballast water adjustment information includes the roll angle error and the pitch angle error, and the ballast water distribution information includes the ballast water transfer amount. Obtaining the ballast water allocation information corresponding to the ballast water regulation information includes: The amount of ballast water transferred corresponding to the roll angle error and the amount of ballast water transferred corresponding to the pitch angle error are determined based on a preset control algorithm, wherein the preset control algorithm includes a PID control algorithm.

8. The ballast water regulating device according to claim 2, characterized in that, Ballast water transfer in the ballast tank includes: Based on the ballast water distribution information, control the operation of the water pumps and control valves corresponding to the ballast tank; The data acquisition module is used to collect pressure information from the circulation pipeline, water level information from the ballast tank, and ship attitude information. The ballast water regulation information and ballast water allocation information are iteratively updated based on the collected pressure information, water level information, and ship attitude information.

9. The ballast water regulating device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ballast water regulating device also includes a filtration module, which is installed in the circulation pipeline, and the control module is connected to the filtration module through the data acquisition module to detect the status of the filtration module.

Citation Information

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