An integrated equipment and method for high-efficiency and low-disturbance drilling and burying of submarine cables
Through the combination of the top vibration drill bit system, embedded propulsion system and base reaction system, the problems of low construction efficiency and ecological damage in the burial of submarine pipe cables are solved, and efficient and environmentally friendly submarine pipe cable burial is achieved, reducing construction costs and material needs.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202510079773.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-01-18
- Publication Date
- 2025-08-29
- Estimated Expiration
- 2045-01-18
AI Technical Summary
The existing submarine pipeline cable burial technology has problems such as low construction efficiency, serious ecological damage to the seabed, high construction costs and many safety hazards, especially in offshore wind power and oil and gas mining.
The combination of a top vibration drill bit system, an embedded propulsion system and a base reaction system is adopted to drill holes under the seabed through vibration and extrusion to form a stable pipeline, avoiding large-scale submarine excavation and ecological damage, reducing armor thickness, and reducing material and transportation costs.
It has achieved efficient and low-interference drilling and burial of submarine pipe cables, which has reduced submarine environmental pollution and ecological damage, reduced construction costs, improved the stability and durability of burial, and reduced dependence on offshore construction.
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Figure CN119777728B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of marine engineering equipment, in particular to the technical field of near-sea and offshore submarine engineering pipe and cable burial, and specifically to an integrated equipment and method for high-efficiency and low-disturbance drilling-burying of submarine pipes and cables. Background Art
[0002] Global offshore wind power and oil and gas exploration projects are underway, and information communication and energy transport across oceans are becoming increasingly interconnected. In 2024, offshore oil and gas reserves and production continued to increase. In the first three quarters of 2024, offshore crude oil and natural gas production increased by 5.9% and 8.8% year-on-year, respectively. Offshore wind power supply is growing rapidly. In the first three quarters of 2024, offshore wind power generation increased by 29.5% year-on-year. A 16.6-megawatt floating wind turbine was operational and successfully withstood the impact of Super Typhoon Makar. In 2024, my country's installed offshore wind power capacity is expected to exceed 45,000 kilowatts, ranking first globally for the fourth consecutive year, with a cumulative grid-connected capacity of 39.1 million kilowatts. As of the third quarter of 2024, my country's cumulative installed offshore wind power capacity has remained the world's largest for three consecutive years, exceeding the combined offshore wind power grid-connected capacity of the second to fifth-ranked countries.
[0003] In today's maritime powerhouse landscape, offshore wind power and drilling platform facilities and equipment are placing higher demands on the equipment and quality of pipelines and cables needed for power supply, information transmission, and multi-mode transport of gas, liquid, and solids. China's late start in the offshore wind power sector, lacking a solid technical foundation, has exposed the pain points of outdated key equipment and poor construction quality. Over the past decade, due to a lack of efficient equipment and technology, tens of thousands of kilometers of cables and pipelines were laid on the seabed using rudimentary techniques, resulting in a significant decline in construction efficiency, complex engineering interfaces, and numerous safety hazards. Numerous European and American companies have developed specialized submarine equipment for laying submarine cables and pipelines. These equipment, with rapid updates and advanced intelligence, are creating increasingly significant technical and industrial barriers for my country.
[0004] Therefore, at this stage, there is an urgent need for efficient and environmentally friendly submarine pipeline, cable, and wire burial equipment and solutions to ensure the transportation quality of offshore wind power and oil and gas extraction and improve the level of marine economic development. Some existing domestic patented technologies have proposed many effective solutions. Considering the complexity of the marine environment and the economic feasibility of construction, the relevant technologies still have major problems and need further improvement:
[0005] 1. Traditional pipeline and cable laying equipment (such as submarine trenchers) relies on a counterweight to carry the pipe and cable to the seabed. High-pressure water jets are used to dislodge the sediment on the seabed and form a trench. The pipe and cable are then laid through the cable holes, and the sediment on both sides is mechanically covered over the pipe and cable. In this model, laying cables and pipelines and excavating seabed sediments can lead to widespread submarine plumes, severely damaging the seabed ecosystem.
[0006] 2. The sediments laid on the pipelines are severely disturbed, destroying their compact structure. Under the influence of ocean currents, scour gullies are easily formed around the pipelines, reducing the effective burial depth, ultimately exposing the pipelines to seawater and shortening their service life.
[0007] 3. Currently, most optimized construction methods, based on excavation and secondary burial, necessitate long-distance surveys along pipelines and cables, the removal of fishing nets and gear, lengthy trench excavations for vessels, and maritime surveillance. This not only wastes significant manpower and resources, but also disrupts the normal navigation of other vessels, causing numerous inconveniences.
[0008] 4. To protect submarine cables, they are armored during construction. The closer to the shore, the thicker the armor. Excessively thick armor not only increases the material cost of the cable, but also makes laying the cable more difficult and increases transportation costs. Summary of the Invention
[0009] Based on the problems and shortcomings of the above-mentioned existing patented technologies in terms of efficiency, effect and environmental benefits of pipe and cable burial, the present invention proposes an integrated equipment and method for high-efficiency and low-disturbance drilling-burial of submarine pipes and cables. The present invention uses the vibration and extrusion effect of the top vibration drill bit system to enable the device to drill holes under the seabed, effectively avoiding the ecological damage caused by the large-scale spread of plumes, habitat damage, mechanical crushing or burial of submarine organisms in the submarine trenching-pipeline laying-burial mode. Because this method does not disturb the soil on the surface of the seabed, the top surface of the burial is not easily eroded by ocean currents, and the long-term effectiveness of the burial can be guaranteed without additional reinforcement measures.
[0010] In view of the above technical problems, the specific technical solutions adopted by the present invention are:
[0011] An integrated equipment for high-efficiency and low-disturbance drilling and burying of submarine cables, characterized by comprising a top-vibration drill bit system, an embedded propulsion system, a base reaction force system, and a pipeline system;
[0012] The top vibration drill head system is located at the front of the entire device, and its rear end is connected to the embedded propulsion system via a threaded structure gasket; the embedded propulsion system is connected to the pipeline system via a hanging gasket; the pipeline system extends out of the sea surface through the circular door opening at the front end of the base reaction force system or is directly connected to the electrical equipment pipeline outlet; the base reaction force system is located at the rear of the device;
[0013] The top vibration drill bit system includes a forward soil cutting knife, a lateral soil cutting knife, a soil squeezing cone top, a wall protection slurry outlet, a wall protection slurry pipe, a jacking body, a forward vibration hammer, a lateral vibration arm, a comprehensive vibration machine, a top vibration correction rod, and a positioning device; the forward soil cutting knife is in a "cross" shape, fixed on the soil squeezing cone top and the tail is connected to the lateral soil cutting knife; a total of four lateral soil cutting knives are fixed to the front end of the jacking body; four wall protection slurry pipes are arranged inside the jacking body, and three rows of wall protection slurry outlets are provided on the wall protection slurry pipes, and the wall protection slurry outlets are on either side of each lateral soil cutting knife on the surface of the jacking body; a comprehensive vibration machine is arranged inside the front end of the jacking body, one end of the forward vibration hammer is fixedly connected to the soil squeezing cone top, and the other end is connected to the comprehensive vibration machine; the comprehensive vibration machine is connected to the jacking body through the lateral vibration arm, and the top vibration correction rod can be extended and retracted under the action of hydraulic pressure, connecting the front end of the jacking body and the rear end of the jacking body; the positioning device is fixed to the rear end of the jacking body;
[0014] The embedded propulsion system includes a threaded structure gasket, an embedded support arm tube, a jacking support arm tube, a traction support arm tube, an embedded hydraulic rod, a jacking hydraulic rod, a traction hydraulic rod, and a hanging gasket; the threaded structure gasket fixes the embedded support arm tube, the jacking support arm tube, and the traction support arm tube to the rear end of the jacking body in sequence; the hanging gasket fixes the pipeline system to the rear end of the embedded propulsion system;
[0015] The base reaction force system includes a base back plate, a hydraulic correction push rod, an embedded soil grid plate, a fixed frame, a circular door opening, a bottoming base plate, and a link tightening ring; the link tightening ring is located at the head end of the base reaction force system, and can be embedded in the torsion and telescopic link to prevent it from continuing to twist; the circular door opening is sleeved on the rear part of the link tightening ring, and the fixed frame connects the circular door opening to the bottoming base plate; the head end of the hydraulic correction push rod is fixed to the link tightening ring, and the tail end is fixed to the base back plate, and the angle between the link tightening ring and the base back plate can be hydraulically controlled to achieve control of the propulsion direction of the torsion and telescopic link;
[0016] The pipeline system includes a laying pipeline, a slurry-electricity supply composite line, a control steel cable, a flexible pipeline sleeve, and a torsional expansion and contraction link; the torsional expansion and contraction link is wrapped inside the flexible pipeline sleeve, and the flexible pipeline sleeve and the core outer wall of the pipeline composed of multiple torsional expansion and contraction links connected front and back extend through a circular doorway to above the sea surface; the laying pipelines are deep-sea and shallow coastal wind power cables, offshore oil and gas transportation micro-pipelines, submarine optical cables and power supply lines for facilities and equipment; the control steel cable passes through the center of the cross-section of the torsional expansion and contraction pipe wall system, with its head end fixed on a threaded structure gasket and the other end extending through the circular doorway to above the sea surface; the slurry-electricity supply composite line supplies slurry and electricity to the front top vibration drill bit system and the embedded propulsion system, and its head end eventually forms a branch connection wall slurry guide pipe and an integrated vibration machine.
[0017] A high-efficiency and low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables, characterized in that the above-mentioned torsional telescopic links can be connected in series through a control steel cable at a central position to wrap the pipeline system, and the pipeline system is connected to the suspension gasket at the tail of the embedded propulsion system through the channel reserved in the torsional telescopic link; the torsional telescopic link is longitudinally provided with a telescopic landslide ring foot, a retention step, a limiting channel, and a recessed platform inside the ring; the telescopic landslide ring foot is a wedge-shaped semicircular ring with two right-angled sides facing each other, and a pair of telescopic landslide ring feet are longitudinally arranged in opposite diameters on a torsional telescopic link; preferably, a limiting device is provided at the tip of the telescopic landslide ring foot and the top of the recessed platform inside the ring to prevent the link from being misaligned; the limiting channel is provided on the side of the tail of the telescopic landslide ring foot, and the torsional telescopic link can be fixed under the embedding of the hydraulic ejector of the link tightening ring.
[0018] A high-efficiency, low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables is characterized in that the above-mentioned embedded support arm tubes, jacking support arm tubes, and traction support arm tubes have a slight external arch. Under the action of external force, the arch height will increase, so that they are embedded in the sediment soil, thereby achieving the effect of self-anchoring the embedded propulsion system. The adhesion between the sediment prevents the top vibration drill bit system from twisting and slipping during the process of advancing and laying the pipeline; in addition, the embedded support arm tubes, jacking support arm tubes, and traction support arm tubes provide reaction force for the jacking work of the top vibration drill bit system.
[0019] A high-efficiency, low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables, characterized in that the above-mentioned integrated vibrator has a maximum vibration power of ≥100 kilowatts, a vibration frequency of 30-50 Hz, and an amplitude of 10-15 mm; the vibration generated by the integrated vibrator is transmitted to the side wall of the jacking body through the lateral vibrating arm, and the vibration of the soil-extruding cone top is driven by the forward vibrating hammer to complete the vibration propulsion.
[0020] A high-efficiency, low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables, characterized in that the above-mentioned wall protection slurry conduit stores wall protection slurry and is ejected from the wall protection slurry outlet; the wall protection slurry has a working pressure of 200-600kPa and adopts a seawater: bentonite ratio of 7-9:1.
[0021] A high-efficiency, low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables, characterized in that the laid pipeline includes a cable with a diameter of 20-100 mm and a pipe with a diameter of 80-250 mm; the buried pipeline has a maximum of 6 strands, and the pipeline D value (ratio of bending radius to pipeline diameter) of the laid pipeline is 1.0-2.0; the buried pipeline and the torsional telescopic link are nested inside the flexible pipeline sleeve, the head end is located above sea level, and extends to the suspension gasket with the buried pipeline. After non-fixed suspension, it folds outward and the end is fixedly connected to the circular doorway, forming a double-layer casing structure under the seabed.
[0022] An integrated equipment for high-efficiency and low-disturbance drilling and burying of submarine cables, characterized in that the outer surfaces of the forward soil cutter, lateral soil cutter, soil squeezing cone top, and jacking body in the above-mentioned top vibration drill bit system are all designed with smooth surfaces. At the same time, a nickel-tungsten alloy coating is deposited on the metal surface by an electrochemical method, with a hardness greater than 550HV and a wear rate of ≤1.25*10 -5 mm 3 / N·m; a wear-resistant, self-lubricating modified coating is formed by controlled infiltration of 20-50 µm thick submicron-sized fluorinated polymer particles; the embedded support arm tube, jacking support arm tube, traction support arm tube, and torsion and telescopic links are made of one or more of ABS plastic, polyester elastomer (TPE), and nylon; the contact surfaces of the embedded support arm tube, jacking support arm tube, traction support arm tube, and base reaction force system with the sediment are designed with rough surfaces, holes, or raised surfaces to increase the contact area with the sediment.
[0023] A high-efficiency, low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables is characterized in that the tightening ring in the link is provided with a tightening attachment head, a hydraulic rod, and a pressure rod steering shaft. The tightening attachment head can be extended or retracted under the action of hydraulic pressure; when the tightening attachment head is inserted into the limiting hole of the torsional telescopic link, the link is locked and cannot rotate freely; under the reverse tension of the control steel cable and the forward tension of the top vibration drill bit system, the control pipeline system is spirally extended or retracted.
[0024] The above-mentioned base reaction system, pipeline system, embedded propulsion system, and top vibration drill bit system form a closed working chamber below the seabed; the bottom-touching base plate is a cantilever structure that can be embedded in the soil at the bottom to ensure that the base reaction system has sufficient anti-torsional force; the embedded soil grid plate is fixedly connected to the back of the base back plate, with a grid-like sediment channel in the middle, which can enhance the embedding force after the base reaction system sinks into the soil.
[0025] A method for burying submarine cables using an integrated high-efficiency and low-disturbance drilling-burying device, the method comprising the following steps:
[0026] Step 1: An integrated, high-efficiency, low-intrusion submarine duct and cable drilling and burial system is transported to a designated area via an offshore mothership. A burial pit is excavated on the seabed using the mothership's grab bucket. Operators lower the system into the designated pit using a crane on the mothership. A positioning device begins operating to provide real-time location tracking during lowering, operation, and recovery.
[0027] Step 2: The operator controls the steel cable through mechanical pre-tensioning and at the same time controls the link tightening ring to fix the tail link, so that the relative rotation angle of the front torsion and telescopic link returns to zero. At this time, the outer wall of the pipeline core formed by the torsion and telescopic link is in the shortest state. The reaction force generated by the propulsion will be transmitted along the torsion and telescopic link, the link tightening ring, the circular door opening, the hydraulic correction rod and the fixed frame to the base back plate.
[0028] Step 3: The integrated vibrator of the top vibration drill system starts working, exerting vibration on the jacking body and the top of the soil-squeezing cone; the soil structure of the sediments around the top vibration drill system is reconstructed under the action of vibration; at this time, the wall slurry is continuously pumped from the wall slurry conduit to the wall slurry outlet; the slurry splashes out from the wall slurry outlet, and after mixing with the sediment, a lubricating mud layer is formed on the surface of the top vibration drill system; at this time, the embedded hydraulic rod, the jacking hydraulic rod, and the traction hydraulic rod are in a retracted state and retracted, so that the embedded support arm pipe, the jacking support arm pipe, and the traction support arm pipe are shortened longitudinally in sequence, and expand and squeeze the soil laterally; then, under the action of thrust, the forward cutting knife and the lateral cutting knife cut the lubricating mud layer and prepare to advance forward;
[0029] Step 4: The top vibration correction rod of the top vibration drill bit system adjusts the propulsion direction of the head of the top vibration drill bit system according to the horizontal inclination angle of the ring rod band formed by it, so that it remains horizontal or sets the pitch angle as needed; the hydraulic correction rod of the base reaction force system adjusts the horizontal and vertical pitch angles of the clamping ring according to the size of the hydraulic pressure to ensure uniform and effective reaction force;
[0030] Step 5: The embedded hydraulic rod, the jacking hydraulic rod, and the traction hydraulic rod are extended in sequence under hydraulic control, so that the embedded support arm tube, the jacking support arm tube, and the traction support arm tube are extended longitudinally in sequence; the link tightening ring rotates in the opposite direction to advance the top vibration drill bit system forward, the link spacing is extended, and the elastic-plastic pressure wave outer casing is subjected to tension, and continues to be laid forward;
[0031] Step 6: The embedding hydraulic rod, the jacking hydraulic rod, and the traction hydraulic rod are retracted in sequence under hydraulic control, so that the embedding support arm tube, the jacking support arm tube, and the traction support arm tube are shortened longitudinally in sequence, and expand and squeeze the soil laterally; the segment tightening ring is released, and the operator uses the pipeline arrangement device to twist the pipeline with the control steel cable as the center, while driving the twisting and telescopic segment to advance spirally forward, and the segment spacing is retracted so that the twisting and telescopic segment behind the segment tightening ring is twisted and advanced to the front of the segment tightening ring, and the circular doorway tightens the elastic-plastic pressure wave outer casing, and the retreat reaction force causes the elastic-plastic pressure wave outer casing to deform and squeeze the surrounding soil to form a sliding channel;
[0032] Step 7: Tighten the link ring again and repeat steps 5 and 6 to continue moving forward to complete the pipeline laying.
[0033] Step 8: The top vibration correction rod of the top vibration drill bit system adjusts the extension and retraction of the hydraulic rod so that the head of the top vibration drill bit system is lifted outward from the seabed surface. The top vibration drill bit system is disconnected from the elastic-plastic pressure wave outer casing and the torsional retractable link; the operator uses the seabed recovery fixture to complete the recovery task of the top vibration drill bit system and the pipeline head.
[0034] By adopting the above technical solution, the beneficial technical effects of the present invention are:
[0035] 1. The device and method of the present invention can complete the laying of pipes and cables without large-scale seabed excavation. The vibration, extrusion, and creeping action of the top-vibration drill bit system and the embedded propulsion system enable the device to drill holes under the seabed. It can effectively avoid the seabed environmental pollution (large-scale spread of plumes) and seabed ecological damage (damage to habitats, mechanical crushing or burial of seabed organisms) caused by traditional pipe and cable laying methods (seabed trenching, pipeline laying, and burial). In addition, the device and method of the present invention do not require long-distance surveys along the pipelines and cables, the cleaning of fishing nets and fishing gear, and the need for long-term ship channel excavation and maritime warning measures, thereby reducing manpower and material costs and avoiding long-term offshore construction control.
[0036] 2. The present invention has outstanding advantages in terms of stability and durability of pipe and cable burial. First, the present invention uses a top-vibration drill bit system and an embedded propulsion system to exert a compacting effect on the seabed sediments, making the surrounding soil more compact and enhancing the wrapping of the seabed sediments on the pipes and cables. Under the action of slurry pressure, the retaining wall slurry penetrates into the deep-sea sediments and fills the pores between the sediments. Since the retaining wall slurry has good bonding properties, it plays a secondary reinforcement role on the surrounding sediments, ensuring the stability of the channel and the surrounding soil. In addition, since the soil on the seabed surface is not disturbed, the sediments still maintain their original tight structure, and at the same time solves the problem of uneven burial in the traditional operation mode, making the buried top surface not easily eroded by ocean currents, and no additional reinforcement measures are required;
[0037] 3. The present invention uses flexible pipe sleeves and torsional telescopic links to wrap submarine cables, forming a high-strength and tough protective layer, reducing the thickness of the cable armor, and reducing the material cost and transportation cost of the cable. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present application. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without any creative work.
[0039] Figure 1 This is a side view of the overall structure of an integrated equipment for high-efficiency and low-disturbance drilling and burying of submarine cables according to the present invention.
[0040] Figure 2 This is a centerline cross-section of an integrated equipment for high-efficiency and low-disturbance drilling and burying of submarine cables.
[0041] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the link tightening ring.
[0042] Figure 4 Schematic diagram of the telescopic torsion link structure.
[0043] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of the link tightening ring.
[0044] In the figure: 1- the top vibration drill bit system includes 101- forward soil cutting knife, 103- lateral soil cutting knife, 105- soil squeezing cone top, 102- wall protection slurry outlet, 107- wall protection slurry pipe, 104- jacking body, 106- forward vibration hammer, 109- lateral vibration arm, 108- integrated vibration machine, 1010- top vibration correction rod, 1011- positioning device; embedded propulsion system 2 includes threaded structure gasket 201, embedded support arm tube 202, jacking support arm tube 203, traction support arm tube 204, embedded hydraulic rod 205, jacking hydraulic rod 206, traction hydraulic rod 207, suspension gasket 208; 3- base The reaction force system includes 301-base back plate, 302-hydraulic correction push rod, 303-soil embedded grid plate, 304-fixed frame, 305-circular doorway, 306-bottoming bottom plate, link clamping ring 307, 3071-clamping ring outer wall, 3072-clamping attachment head, 3073-hydraulic rod, 3074-pressure rod steering shaft; pipeline system 4 includes laying pipeline 401, slurry-electricity supply composite line 403, control steel cable 402, flexible pipeline sleeve 404, torsional telescopic link 405, 4051-limiting channel, 4052-ring inner concave platform, 4053-telescopic landslide ring foot, 4054-retention step. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0045] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of this application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application. Obviously, the embodiments described are only part of the embodiments of this application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without making creative efforts are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0046] The structures, proportions, sizes, etc. illustrated in the drawings of this specification are only used to match the contents disclosed in the specification for understanding and reading by those familiar with this technology. They are not used to limit the conditions for implementation of the present invention and therefore have no substantial technical significance. Any modification of the structure, change in the proportional relationship, or adjustment of the size should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed by the present invention without affecting the efficacy and purpose that can be achieved by the present invention. At the same time, terms such as "front", "back", "first", and "last" quoted in this specification are only for the convenience of description and are not used to limit the scope of implementation of the present invention. Changes or adjustments in their relative relationships should also be regarded as the scope of implementation of the present invention without substantially changing the technical content. Example
[0047] like Figure 1-5 As shown, the present invention includes a top vibration drill bit system 1, an embedded propulsion system 2, a base reaction force system 3, and a pipeline system 4.
[0048] like Figure 1-2The 1-top vibration drill bit system includes a forward soil cutting knife 101, a lateral soil cutting knife 103, a soil squeezing cone top 105, a wall protection slurry outlet 102, a wall protection slurry pipe 107, a jacking body 104, a forward vibration hammer 106, a lateral vibration arm 109, a comprehensive vibrator 108, a top vibration correction rod 1010, and a positioning device 1011; the forward soil cutting knife 101 is a "cross" shape, fixed on the soil squeezing cone top 105 and the tail is connected to the lateral soil cutting knife 103; a total of four lateral soil cutting knives 103 are fixed to the front end of the jacking body 104; four wall protection slurry pipes 107 are arranged inside the jacking body 104, and four rows of wall protection slurry outlets are opened on the wall protection slurry pipe 107 102. The retaining wall slurry outlet 102 is on either side of each lateral soil cutting knife 103 on the surface of the jacking body 104. Each row of retaining wall slurry outlets 102 consists of four holes, and two holes are arranged longitudinally at the front and rear ends of the jacking body respectively; a comprehensive vibrator 108 is set inside the front end of the jacking body 104, and one end of the forward vibrating hammer 106 is fixedly connected to the soil squeezing cone top 105, and the other end is connected to the comprehensive vibrator 108; the comprehensive vibrator 108 is connected to the jacking body 104 through a lateral vibrating arm 109, and the jacking vibration correction rod can be extended and retracted under the action of hydraulic pressure, connecting the front end of the jacking body 104 and the rear end of the jacking body 104; the positioning device is fixed at the tail of the jacking body 104.
[0049] like Figure 1-5 The embedded propulsion system 2 includes a threaded structure gasket 201, an embedded support arm tube 202, a jacking support arm tube 203, a traction support arm tube 204, an embedded hydraulic rod 205, a jacking hydraulic rod 206, a traction hydraulic rod 207, and a hanging gasket 208; the threaded structure gasket 201 fixes the embedded support arm tube 202, the jacking support arm tube 203, and the traction support arm tube 204 in sequence at the rear end of the jacking body 104; and the hanging gasket 208 fixes the pipeline system 4 at the rear end of the embedded propulsion system 2.
[0050] like Figure 1-2 As described above, the base reaction force system 3 includes a base back plate 301, a hydraulic correction push rod 302, an embedded soil grid plate 303, a fixed frame 304, a circular doorway 305, a bottoming base plate 306, and a link tightening ring 307; the link tightening ring 306 is located at the head end of the base reaction force system 3, and can embed the torsional telescopic link 405 to prevent it from continuing to twist; the circular doorway 305 is sleeved on the rear part of the link tightening ring 307, and the fixed frame 304 connects the circular doorway 305 with the bottoming base plate 306; the head end of the hydraulic correction push rod 302 is fixed on the link tightening ring 307 and the tail end is fixed on the base back plate 301. The angle between the link tightening ring 307 and the base back plate 301 can be controlled by a hydraulic device to achieve control of the propulsion direction of the torsional telescopic link 405.
[0051] like Figure 1-3The pipeline system 4 comprises a laying pipeline 401, a composite slurry-electricity supply line 403, a control cable 402, a flexible cable sheath 404, and a torsional expansion and contraction link 405. The torsional expansion and contraction link 405 is enclosed within the flexible cable sheath 404. The flexible cable sheath 404 and the multiple torsional expansion and contraction links 405 connected front and back form the core outer wall of the pipeline, which extends through a circular doorway 305 and extends above the sea surface. The laying pipeline 401 is used for deep-sea and shallow coastal wind power cables, offshore oil and gas transportation micro-pipelines, submarine optical cables, and power lines for equipment and facilities. The control cable 402 has its head end fixed to the suspension pad 208 and its other end extends above the sea surface through the circular doorway 305. The composite slurry-electricity supply line 403 supplies slurry and electricity to the front top vibration drill bit system 1 and the embedded propulsion system 2. Its head end ultimately forms a branch that connects to the wall protection slurry conduit 107 and the integrated vibrator 108.
[0052] The torsion and telescopic links 405 can be connected in series through the control steel cable 402 at the central position to wrap the pipeline system 4, and the pipeline system 4 is connected to the suspension gasket 208 at the tail of the embedded propulsion system 2 through the reserved channel of the torsion link; the torsion and telescopic link 405 is longitudinally provided with a telescopic landslide ring foot 4053, a retention step 4054, a limiting channel 4051, and a concave platform 4052 in the ring; the telescopic landslide ring foot 4053 is a wedge-shaped semicircular ring with two right-angled sides facing each other, and a torsion and telescopic link 405 has a pair of telescopic landslide ring feet 4053 arranged in longitudinal opposite diameters; preferably, a limiting device is provided at the tip of the telescopic landslide ring foot 4053 and the top of the concave platform 4052 in the ring to prevent the link from being misaligned; the limiting channel 4051 is provided on the side of the tail of the telescopic landslide ring foot 4053, and the torsion and telescopic link 405 can be fixed under the embedding of the hydraulic ejector of the link tightening ring 307.
[0053] As described above, the embedded support arm tube 202, the jacking support arm tube 203, and the traction support arm tube 204 have a slight external arch. Under the action of external force, the arch height of the embedded support arm tube 202, the jacking support arm tube 203, and the traction support arm tube 204 will increase, so that they are embedded in the sediment soil, thereby achieving the effect of self-anchoring of the embedded propulsion system 2. The adhesion force between the embedded support arm tube 202 and the sediment prevents the top vibration drill bit system 1 from twisting and slipping during the process of laying the pipeline. In addition, the embedded support arm tube 202, the jacking support arm tube 203, and the traction support arm tube 204 provide reaction force for the jacking work of the jacking drill bit system.
[0054] The integrated vibrator 108 has a maximum vibration power of 100 kilowatts or higher, a vibration frequency of 30-50 Hz, and an amplitude of 10-15 mm. The vibration generated by the integrated vibrator 108 is transmitted to the sidewalls of the jacking body 104 via the lateral vibrating arm 109. The forward vibrating hammer 106 then drives the soil-squeezing cone 105 to vibrate, completing the vibration propulsion. The wall slurry conduit 107 stores the wall slurry, which is ejected from the wall slurry outlet 102. The wall slurry has an operating pressure of 200-600 kPa and uses a seawater:bentonite ratio of 7-9:1.
[0055] The laid pipeline 401 comprises cables with a diameter of 20-100 mm and pipes with a diameter of 80-250 mm. The maximum number of buried pipeline strands is six, and the D value (ratio of bending radius to pipeline diameter) of the laid pipeline 401 is 1.0-2.0. The flexible pipeline sheath 404 nests the buried pipeline 401 and the torsional expansion joint 405. The head end is located above sea level and extends from the buried pipeline 401 to the suspension pad 208. After being suspended freely, it folds outward and the end is fixedly connected to the circular doorway 305, forming a double-layered casing structure beneath the seabed.
[0056] The outer surfaces of the forward soil cutting blade 101, the lateral soil cutting blade 103, the soil squeezing cone top 105, and the jacking body 104 in the top vibration drill bit system 1 are all designed with smooth surfaces. At the same time, a nickel-tungsten alloy coating is deposited on the metal surface by an electrochemical method, with a hardness greater than 550HV and a wear rate of ≤1.25*10 -5 mm 3 / N·m; a wear-resistant, self-lubricating modified coating is formed by controlled infiltration of 20-50 µm thick submicron-sized fluorinated polymer particles; the embedded support arm tube 202, the jacking support arm tube 203, the traction support arm tube 204, and the torsion and telescopic link 405 are made of one or more of ABS plastic, polyester elastomer (TPE), and nylon; the contact surfaces of the embedded support arm tube 202, the jacking support arm tube 203, the traction support arm tube 204, and the base reaction force system 3 with the sediment are designed with rough surfaces, holes, or raised surfaces to increase the contact area with the sediment.
[0057] As described above, the tightening ring 307 is provided with a tightening attachment head 3072, a hydraulic rod 3073, and a pressure rod steering shaft 3074. The tightening attachment head 3072 can be extended or retracted under the action of hydraulic pressure; when the tightening attachment head 3072 is inserted into the limiting channel 4051 of the torsional telescopic link 405, the link is locked and cannot rotate freely; under the reverse tension of the control cable 402 and the forward tension of the top vibration drill bit system 1, the control pipeline system 4 spirally extends or retracts.
[0058] As described above, the base reaction system 3, the pipeline system 4, the embedded propulsion system 2, and the top vibration drill bit system 1 form a closed working chamber below the seabed; the bottom contact base plate 306 is a cantilever structure that can be embedded in the soil at the bottom to ensure that the base reaction system 3 has sufficient anti-torsion force; the soil-embedded grid plate 303 is fixedly connected to the back of the base back plate 301, with a grid-like sediment channel in the middle, which can enhance the embedding force after the base reaction system 3 sinks into the soil.
[0059] The method for burying submarine cables using the integrated equipment for high-efficiency and low-disturbance drilling and burying of submarine cables comprises the following steps:
[0060] Step 1: An integrated submarine cable and pipe drilling and burial equipment with high efficiency and low disturbance is transported to a designated area by an offshore mother ship. A lowering hole is excavated on the seabed using the mother ship's grab. Operators lower the equipment into the predetermined hole using a crane on the offshore mother ship. The positioning device 1011 starts working to achieve real-time position tracking during lowering, operation, and recovery.
[0061] Step 2: The operator controls the steel cable 402 through mechanical pre-tensioning, and at the same time controls the link tightening ring 307 to fix the tail link, so that the relative rotation angle of the front torsion and telescopic link 405 returns to zero. At this time, the inner wall of the pipeline core formed by the torsion and telescopic link 405 is in the shortest state, and the reaction force generated by the thrust will be transmitted along the torsion and telescopic link 405, the link tightening ring 307, the circular doorway 305, the hydraulic correction push rod 302 and the fixed frame 304 to the base back plate 301.
[0062] Step 3: The integrated vibrator 108 of the top vibration drill bit system 1 starts working, applying vibration to the jacking body 104 and the soil squeezing cone top 105; the soil structure of the sediments around the top vibration drill bit system 1 is reconstructed under the action of vibration; at this time, the wall protection slurry is continuously pumped from the wall protection slurry conduit 107 to the wall protection slurry outlet 102; the slurry splashes out from the wall protection slurry outlet 102, and after mixing with the sediment, a layer of lubricating mud layer is formed on the surface of the top vibration drill bit system 1; at this time, the embedded hydraulic rod 205, the jacking hydraulic rod 206, and the traction hydraulic rod 207 are in a retracted state and retracted, so that the embedded support arm tube 202, the jacking support arm tube 203, and the traction support arm tube 204 are shortened longitudinally in sequence, and expand and squeeze the soil laterally; the forward cutting knife 101 and the lateral cutting knife 103 cut the lubricating mud layer and prepare to move forward.
[0063] Step 4: The top vibration correction rod 1010 of the top vibration drill bit system 1 adjusts the head propulsion direction of the top vibration drill bit system 1 according to the horizontal inclination angle of the annular rod band formed by it, so that it remains horizontal or sets the pitch angle propulsion as needed; the hydraulic correction push rod 302 of the base reaction force system 3 adjusts the horizontal and vertical pitch angles of the clamping ring 307 according to the size of the hydraulic pressure to ensure that the reaction force is uniform and effective.
[0064] Step 5: The embedded hydraulic rod 205, the jacking hydraulic rod 206, and the traction hydraulic rod 207 are extended in sequence under hydraulic control, so that the embedded support arm tube 202, the jacking support arm tube 203, and the traction support arm tube 204 are extended longitudinally in sequence; the link tightening ring 307 rotates in the opposite direction; the top vibration drill bit system 1 is pushed forward, the link spacing is extended, and the flexible pipeline sleeve 404 is subjected to tension and continues to be laid forward.
[0065] Step 6: The embedded hydraulic rod 205, the jacking hydraulic rod 206, and the traction hydraulic rod 207 are retracted in sequence under hydraulic control, so that the embedded support arm tube 202, the jacking support arm tube 203, and the traction support arm tube 204 are shortened longitudinally in sequence, and expanded laterally to squeeze the soil; the segment tightening ring 307 is released, and the operator uses the pipeline arranging device to twist the pipeline with the control steel cable 402 as the center, while driving the torsional telescopic link 405 to advance spirally forward, and the segment spacing is retracted so that the torsional telescopic link 405 behind the segment tightening ring 307 is twisted and advanced to the front of the segment tightening ring 307, and the circular doorway 305 fixes the tail end of the flexible pipeline sleeve 404, and the retreat reaction force causes the flexible pipeline sleeve to deform and squeeze the surrounding soil to form a sliding cavity channel.
[0066] Step 7: Tighten the link ring 307 again, and repeat steps 5 and 6 to continue moving forward, and finally complete the pipeline laying.
[0067] Step 8: The top vibration correction rod 1010 of the top vibration drill bit system 1 adjusts the extension and contraction of the hydraulic rod so that the head of the top vibration drill bit system 1 is lifted outward from the seabed surface, and the top vibration drill bit system 1 is disconnected from the flexible pipeline sleeve 404; the operator uses the seabed recovery fixture to complete the recovery task of the top vibration drill bit system 1 and the head of the pipeline system 4.
Claims
1. An integrated equipment for high-efficiency and low-disturbance drilling and burying of submarine cables, characterized by: Including top vibration drill bit system, embedded propulsion system, base reaction system, pipeline system; The top vibration drill head system is located at the front of the entire device, and its rear end is connected to the embedded propulsion system via a threaded structure gasket; the embedded propulsion system is connected to the pipeline system via a hanging gasket; the pipeline system extends out of the sea through the circular door opening at the front end of the base reaction force system or is directly connected to the electrical equipment pipeline interface; the base reaction force system is located at the rear of the device; The top vibration drill bit system includes a forward soil cutting knife, a lateral soil cutting knife, a soil squeezing cone top, a wall protection slurry outlet, a wall protection slurry pipe, a jacking body, a forward vibration hammer, a lateral vibration arm, a comprehensive vibration machine, a top vibration correction rod, and a positioning device; the forward soil cutting knife is in a "cross" shape, fixed on the soil squeezing cone top and the tail is connected to the lateral soil cutting knife; a total of four lateral soil cutting knives are fixed to the front end of the jacking body; four wall protection slurry pipes are arranged inside the jacking body, and three rows of wall protection slurry outlets are provided on the wall protection slurry pipes, and the wall protection slurry outlets are on either side of each lateral soil cutting knife on the surface of the jacking body; a comprehensive vibration machine is arranged inside the front end of the jacking body, one end of the forward vibration hammer is fixedly connected to the soil squeezing cone top, and the other end is connected to the comprehensive vibration machine; the comprehensive vibration machine is connected to the jacking body through the lateral vibration arm, and the top vibration correction rod is retracted and extended under the action of hydraulic pressure, connecting the front end of the jacking body and the rear end of the jacking body; the positioning device is fixed to the rear end of the jacking body; The embedded propulsion system includes a threaded structure gasket, an embedded support arm tube, a jacking support arm tube, a traction support arm tube, an embedded hydraulic rod, a jacking hydraulic rod, a traction hydraulic rod, and a hanging gasket; the threaded structure gasket fixes the embedded support arm tube, the jacking support arm tube, and the traction support arm tube to the rear end of the jacking body in sequence; the hanging gasket fixes the pipeline system to the rear end of the embedded propulsion system; The base reaction force system includes a base back plate, a hydraulic correction push rod, an embedded soil grid plate, a fixed frame, a circular door opening, a bottoming base plate, and a link tightening ring; the link tightening ring is located at the head end of the base reaction force system, and is embedded in the torsion and telescopic link to prevent it from continuing to twist; the circular door opening is sleeved on the rear part of the link tightening ring, and the fixed frame connects the circular door opening to the bottoming base plate; the head end of the hydraulic correction push rod is fixed to the link tightening ring, and the tail end is fixed to the base back plate, and the angle between the link tightening ring and the base back plate is hydraulically controlled to achieve control of the propulsion direction of the torsion and telescopic link; The pipeline system includes a laying pipeline, a slurry-electricity supply composite line, a control steel cable, a flexible pipeline sleeve, and a torsional expansion and contraction link; the torsional expansion and contraction link is wrapped inside the flexible pipeline sleeve, and the flexible pipeline sleeve and the core outer wall of the pipeline composed of multiple torsional expansion and contraction links connected front and back extend through a circular doorway to above the sea surface; the laying pipelines are deep-sea and shallow coastal wind power cables, offshore oil and gas transportation micro-pipelines, submarine optical cables and power supply lines for facilities and equipment; the control steel cable passes through the center of the cross-section of the torsional expansion and contraction pipe wall system, with its head end fixed on a threaded structure gasket and the other end extending through the circular doorway to above the sea surface; the slurry-electricity supply composite line supplies slurry and electricity to the front top vibration drill bit system and the embedded propulsion system, and the head end of the slurry-electricity supply composite line eventually forms a branch connecting the wall protection slurry conduit and the integrated vibration machine.
2. The high-efficiency and low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: The torsion and telescopic links can be connected in series through a control steel cable at a central position to wrap the pipeline system, and the pipeline system is connected to the suspension gasket at the tail of the embedded propulsion system through the reserved channel of the torsion and telescopic link; the torsion and telescopic link is longitudinally provided with a telescopic landslide ring foot, a retention step, a limiting channel, and a concave platform inside the ring; the telescopic landslide ring foot is a wedge-shaped semicircular ring with two right-angled sides facing each other, and a pair of telescopic landslide ring feet are longitudinally arranged in opposite diameters on a torsion and telescopic link; a limiting device is provided at the tip of the telescopic landslide ring foot and the top of the concave platform inside the ring to prevent the link from being misaligned; the limiting channel is provided on the side of the tail of the telescopic landslide ring foot, and the torsion and telescopic link is fixed under the embedding of the hydraulic ejector of the link tightening ring.
3. The high-efficiency and low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: The embedded support arm tube, jacking support arm tube, and traction support arm tube have a slight external arch. Under the action of external force, the arch height will increase, so that it is embedded in the sediment soil, achieving the effect of self-anchoring of the embedded propulsion system. The adhesion between the tube and the sediment prevents the top vibration drill bit system from twisting and slipping during the process of laying the pipeline. The embedded support arm tube, jacking support arm tube, and traction support arm tube provide reaction force for the top vibration drill bit system's jacking work.
4. The high-efficiency and low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: The integrated vibrator has a maximum vibration power of ≥100 kilowatts, a vibration frequency of 30-50 Hz, and an amplitude of 10-15 mm. The integrated vibrator transmits vibration to the side wall of the jacking body through the lateral vibrating arm, and drives the top of the soil-squeezing cone to vibrate through the forward vibrating hammer to complete the vibration propulsion.
5. The high-efficiency and low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wall slurry is stored in the wall slurry conduit and ejected from the wall slurry outlet; the wall slurry working pressure is 200-600kPa, and the wall slurry uses seawater: bentonite = 7-9:1; 6. The high-efficiency and low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: The laid pipelines include cables with a diameter of 20-100 mm and pipes with a diameter of 80-250 mm. The maximum number of buried pipelines is 6 strands, and the pipeline D value of the laid pipelines, which is the ratio of the bending radius to the pipeline diameter, is 1.0-2.
0. The buried pipelines and the torsional expansion link are nested inside the flexible pipeline sleeve, with the head end located above sea level and extending to the hanging pad with the buried pipeline. After being suspended in a non-fixed manner, it folds outward and the end is fixedly connected to the circular doorway, forming a double-layer casing structure under the seabed.
7. The high-efficiency and low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer surfaces of the forward soil cutting knife, lateral soil cutting knife, soil squeezing cone top and jacking body in the top vibration drill bit system are all designed with smooth surfaces. At the same time, nickel-tungsten alloy plating is deposited on the metal surface by electrochemical method, with a hardness of more than 550HV and a wear rate of less than 1.25*10 -5 mm 3 / N·m; a wear-resistant, self-lubricating modified coating is formed by controlled penetration of 20-50μm thick submicron-grade fluorinated polymer particles; the embedded support arm tube, jacking support arm tube, traction support arm tube, and torsion and telescopic links are made of one or more of ABS plastic, polyester elastomer (TPE), and nylon; the contact surfaces of the embedded support arm tube, jacking support arm tube, traction support arm tube, and base reaction force system with the sediment are designed with rough surfaces, holes, or raised surfaces to increase the contact area with the sediment; 8. The high-efficiency and low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: The link tightening ring is equipped with a tightening attachment head, a hydraulic rod, and a pressure rod steering shaft. The tightening attachment head extends or retracts under the action of hydraulic pressure. When the tightening attachment head extends into the limit hole of the torsional telescopic link, the link is locked and cannot rotate freely. Under the reverse tension of the control cable and the forward tension of the top vibration drill bit system, the control pipeline system spirally extends or retracts.
9. The high-efficiency and low-disturbance integrated drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base reaction system, pipeline system, embedded propulsion system, and top vibration drill bit system form a closed working chamber below the seabed. The bottom contact plate is a cantilever structure embedded in the soil at the bottom to ensure that the base reaction system has sufficient anti-torsion force. The embedded soil grid plate is fixedly connected to the back of the base back plate, with a grid-like sediment channel in the middle to enhance the embedding force after the base reaction system sinks into the soil; 10. A method for burying submarine cables using the integrated high-efficiency and low-disturbance drilling and burying equipment for submarine cables as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, the method comprising the following steps: Step 1: An integrated submarine cable drilling and burial system with high efficiency and low disturbance is transported to the designated area by an offshore mother vessel. The mother vessel's grab bucket digs a lowering pit on the seabed, and the operator lowers the device into the designated pit using the mother vessel's crane. The positioning device then begins operating, enabling real-time position tracking during lowering, operation, and recovery. Step 2: The operator controls the steel cable through mechanical pre-tensioning and at the same time controls the link tightening ring to fix the tail link, so that the relative rotation angle of the front torsion and telescopic link returns to zero. At this time, the outer wall of the pipeline core formed by the torsion and telescopic link is in the shortest state. The reaction force generated by the propulsion will be transmitted along the torsion and telescopic link, the link tightening ring, the circular door opening, the hydraulic correction rod and the fixed frame to the base back plate. Step 3: The integrated vibrator of the top vibration drill system starts working, applying vibration to the jacking body and the top of the soil-squeezing cone; the sediments around the top vibration drill system undergo soil structure reconstruction under the action of vibration; at this time, the wall slurry is continuously pumped from the wall slurry conduit to the wall slurry outlet; the slurry splashes out from the wall slurry outlet, and after mixing with the sediment, a layer of lubricating mud layer is formed on the surface of the top vibration drill system; at this time, the embedded hydraulic rod, the jacking hydraulic rod, and the traction hydraulic rod are in a retracted state and retracted, so that the embedded support arm pipe, the jacking support arm pipe, and the traction support arm pipe are shortened longitudinally in sequence, and expand and squeeze the soil laterally; then, under the action of thrust, the forward cutting knife and the lateral cutting knife cut the lubricating mud layer and start to advance forward; Step 4: The top vibration correction rod of the top vibration drill bit system adjusts the propulsion direction of the head of the top vibration drill bit system according to the horizontal inclination angle of the ring rod band formed by it, so that it remains horizontal or sets the pitch angle as needed; the hydraulic correction rod of the base reaction force system adjusts the horizontal and vertical pitch angles of the clamping ring according to the size of the hydraulic pressure to ensure uniform and effective reaction force; Step 5: The embedded hydraulic rod, the jacking hydraulic rod, and the traction hydraulic rod are extended in sequence under hydraulic control, so that the embedded support arm tube, the jacking support arm tube, and the traction support arm tube are extended longitudinally in sequence; the link tightening ring rotates in the opposite direction to advance the top vibration drill bit system forward, the link spacing is extended, and the elastic-plastic pressure wave outer casing is subjected to tension, and continues to be laid forward; Step 6: The embedded hydraulic rod, the jacking hydraulic rod, and the traction hydraulic rod are retracted in sequence under hydraulic control, so that the embedded support arm tube, the jacking support arm tube, and the traction support arm tube are shortened longitudinally in sequence, and expand and squeeze the soil laterally; the segment tightening ring is released, and the pipeline is controlled to twist with the steel cable as the center through the pipeline arrangement device, while driving the twisting and telescopic segment to advance spirally forward, and the segment spacing is retracted so that the twisting and telescopic segment behind the segment tightening ring is twisted and advanced to the front of the segment tightening ring, and the circular door opening tightens the elastic-plastic pressure wave outer casing, and the retreat reaction force causes the elastic-plastic pressure wave outer casing to deform and squeeze the surrounding soil to form a sliding channel; Step 7: Tighten the link tweezers ring again, and repeat steps 5 and 6 to continue moving forward, and finally complete the pipeline laying; Step 8: The top vibration correction rod of the top vibration drill bit system adjusts the extension and retraction of the hydraulic rod so that the head of the top vibration drill bit system is lifted outward from the seabed surface. The top vibration drill bit system is released from the connection with the elastic-plastic pressure wave outer casing and the torsional retractable link; the recovery task of the top vibration drill bit system and the pipeline head is completed through the seabed recovery fixture.
Citation Information
Patent Citations
Landing method of submarine pipeline in offshore petroleum engineering construction process
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