Device for laying submarine pipe cable

Abstract

The embodiment of the invention provides a device for laying a submarine pipe cable, and relates to the technical field of marine equipment, and the device comprises a base which comprises a base plate and inclined plates arranged at the two sides of the base plate, one end of each inclined plate is connected with the base plate, and the other end of each inclined plate is inclined downwards relative to the base plate; the fixing structure is connected with the base, and the fixing structure is used for fixing a submarine pipe cable; the lower side of the spoiler is connected with the base plate, the upper side of the spoiler extends in the direction away from the base plate, and the extending direction of the spoiler is the same as the axial direction of the submarine pipe cable. The submarine pipe cable provided with the device can well adapt to seabed scouring deformation, when the seabed is subjected to scouring change, due to the fact that the device can continue to play a sinking role after the pipe cable is exposed out of the seabed, the pipe cable continues to sink and be buried below the seabed, and the later operation and maintenance cost can be remarkably reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of marine equipment, and in particular to a device for laying submarine cables. Background Art

[0002] In the related technology, in order to ensure the safety of submarine cables and the marine environment, submarine cables are often buried to avoid possible damage caused by waves, currents, anchoring, trawling, etc. When burying submarine cables, the existing technical method is to mechanically dig on the seabed, then lay the submarine cables in the trench and then backfill to complete the burial of the submarine cables. This laying scheme has too high time and economic costs, and is too affected by environmental factors, so it cannot be generally applied to all situations. Summary of the invention

[0003] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present application proposes a device for laying submarine cables to reduce the laying and maintenance costs of submarine cables.

[0004] The present application provides a device for laying submarine cables, comprising:

[0005] The base comprises a base plate and inclined plates arranged on both sides of the base plate, wherein one end of the inclined plate is connected to the base plate, and the other end of the inclined plate is arranged to be inclined downward compared to the base plate;

[0006] A fixing structure connected to the base, the fixing structure being used to fix the submarine cable;

[0007] A spoiler, the lower side of which is connected to the base plate, and the upper side of which extends in a direction away from the base plate, wherein the extending direction of the spoiler is the same as the axial direction of the submarine cable.

[0008] Furthermore, the spoiler is a flexible plate.

[0009] Furthermore, a first slide groove is provided on a side of the substrate close to the spoiler, and the spoiler is inserted into the first slide groove.

[0010] Furthermore, it also includes an insert plate, one end of which is connected to the lower end surface of the inclined plate, and the other end of which extends in a direction away from the inclined plate.

[0011] Furthermore, it also includes an adjustment structure, wherein the insert plate is hinged to the inclined plate, one end of the adjustment structure is connected to the inclined plate, and the other end of the adjustment structure is connected to the insert plate, and the adjustment structure is used to adjust the relative angle between the inclined plate and the insert plate.

[0012] Further, the adjustment structure includes a first screw, a second screw, a sleeve, a first nut and a second nut, one end of the first screw is hinged to the inclined plate, the other end of the first screw cooperates with one end of the sleeve, one end of the second screw is connected to the insert plate, the other end of the second screw cooperates with the other end of the sleeve, the first screw is provided with a first nut, and the second screw is provided with a second nut.

[0013] Furthermore, the angle between the inclined plate and the horizontal plane is 30°.

[0014] Furthermore, the base includes a fixing seat, the fixing seat is installed on the base plate, the fixing seat is provided with a fixing groove, and the fixing groove matches the outer circumference of the submarine cable.

[0015] Furthermore, the base also includes a flexible pad, and the flexible pad is arranged between the fixing groove and the submarine cable.

[0016] Furthermore, the base includes a fixing plate, and the fixing plates are arranged on both sides of the fixing base.

[0017] Furthermore, the fixing structure comprises a binding belt, two ends of which are respectively connected to different positions of the base plate, and the binding belt and the base plate enclose a fixing space for fixing the submarine pipe cable.

[0018] Furthermore, the fixing plate has a passage running through the upper and lower ends thereof, and the binding belt is fixed on the spoiler after passing through the passage.

[0019] Furthermore, a plurality of buckles are arranged at intervals in the channel, and the binding belt is provided with a slot at a position corresponding to the buckle, and the slot cooperates with the buckle.

[0020] It can be seen from the above technical solutions that the embodiments of the present application have at least the following beneficial effects:

[0021] When the seabed flow velocity is low and the axis of the submarine cable is perpendicular to the flow direction of the water flow, a vortex will be formed on the backflow side of the submarine cable. After the device of this embodiment is installed, the water flow on the top of the submarine cable is blocked, the flow velocity decreases, and the pressure difference on both sides of the cable is significantly increased, the vortex on the backflow side of the cable is enhanced, and the flow velocity between the bottom of the cable and the seabed increases, resulting in the scouring of the bottom and backflow side of the submarine cable. Under the action of the reciprocating flow, the scouring pit around the submarine cable gradually becomes larger to form a shallow ditch, and under the action of the weight of the submarine cable and the downward pressure generated by the spoiler, the submarine cable naturally enters the shallow ditch. When the tide weakens and the flow velocity of the sea current in this area suddenly slows down, the sea current with silt impacts the device, causing the sediment to accumulate faster, causing the submarine cable to be buried in the seabed, and the blocking effect of the spoiler disappears. When the seabed is scoured again, the submarine cable is exposed to the seabed, and the spoiler on the top of the cable will play a role again to complete the further self-burying process of the cable. In this way, the submarine cable after installing the device of the embodiment of the present application can adapt well to the scouring and deformation of the seabed. When the seabed changes due to scouring, the cable can continue to sink after being exposed to the seabed, so that the cable continues to sink and be buried below the seabed, which can significantly reduce the subsequent operation and maintenance costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] In order to more clearly illustrate the embodiments of the present application or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art will be briefly introduced below. 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 paying creative labor.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the main structure of an embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A top view schematic diagram of

[0025] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of a usage state of an embodiment of the present application;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the self-burying process of submarine cable in this application;

[0027] Figure 5 This is a partial structural diagram of an embodiment of the present application;

[0028] Figure 6 A cross-sectional schematic diagram of an embodiment of the present application;

[0029] Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the coordination of the tilting plate, the adjustment structure and the insert plate in one embodiment of the present application;

[0030] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the adjustment structure in one embodiment of the present application.

[0031] Reference numerals:

[0032] 1. Submarine cables;

[0033] 110, base plate; 120, tilting plate; 130, fixing seat; 140, fixing plate; 141, buckle;

[0034] 200, fixed structure; 210, card slot;

[0035] 300, spoiler;

[0036] 400, insert plate;

[0037] 500, adjustment structure; 510, first screw; 520, second screw; 530, sleeve; 540, first nut; 550, second nut. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in the present application, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0039] Submarine pipelines are an important way of offshore oil and gas production and transportation, and are the lifeline project for the storage, transportation and delivery of offshore oil and gas resources. Submarine cables are used to connect wind turbine platforms, booster stations and onshore control centers in offshore wind farms, and are responsible for the power and communication transmission tasks of the entire wind farm. Once a submarine cable is damaged, it will not only cause huge property losses, but also cause severe, long-term environmental and social impacts. Therefore, the safety of submarine cables is highly valued by all countries. Many international research institutions and oil companies have invested a lot of manpower and material resources to study the stability of submarine cables on the seabed. Submarine cables are easily affected by the marine environment during laying and in-situ operation. The seabed is exposed to the scouring of cables, which is prone to failure and affects normal operation. How to avoid the phenomenon of cables being exposed and suspended in the air needs to be paid attention to.

[0040] In order to ensure the safety of submarine cables and the marine environment, submarine cables are often buried to avoid damage caused by waves, currents, anchoring, trawling, etc. When burying submarine cables, the existing technical method is to mechanically dig on the seabed, then lay the submarine cables in the trench and then backfill to complete the burial of the submarine cables. This laying scheme has too high time and economic costs, and is too affected by environmental factors, so it cannot be generally applied to all situations.

[0041] In view of this, the present application proposes a device for laying submarine cables to effectively solve the above-mentioned problems.

[0042] See also Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, an embodiment of the present application discloses a device for laying a submarine umbilical cable 1 , which includes a base, a fixed structure 200 and a spoiler 300 .

[0043] Specifically, the base includes a substrate 110 and an inclined plate 120 arranged on both sides of the substrate 110, one end of the inclined plate 120 is connected to the substrate 110, and the other end of the inclined plate 120 is inclined downward compared to the substrate 110; the fixed structure 200 is connected to the base, and the fixed structure 200 is used to fix the submarine cable 1; the lower side of the spoiler 300 is connected to the substrate 110, and the upper side of the spoiler 300 extends in a direction away from the substrate 110, wherein the extension direction of the spoiler 300 is the same as the axial direction of the submarine cable 1.

[0044] Among them, the axial direction of the submarine cable 1 is Figure 2 The X direction is shown.

[0045] When the device of the embodiment of the present application is not installed, when the seabed flow velocity is low and the axis of the submarine cable 1 is perpendicular to the flow direction of the water, a vortex will be formed on the backflow side of the submarine cable 1.

[0046] After installing the device, see Figure 3 and Figure 4, the water flow at the top of the submarine cable 1 is blocked, and the flow rate decreases, resulting in a significant increase in the pressure difference on both sides of the submarine cable 1, the vortex on the backflow side of the submarine cable 1 is enhanced, and the flow rate between the bottom of the submarine cable 1 and the seabed increases, resulting in the scouring of the bottom and backflow side of the submarine cable 1. Under the action of the reciprocating flow, the scouring pit around the submarine cable 1 gradually becomes larger to form a shallow ditch, and under the action of the self-weight of the submarine cable 1 and the downward pressure generated by the spoiler 300, the submarine cable 1 naturally enters the shallow ditch. When the tide weakens and the flow rate of the sea current in this area suddenly slows down, the sea current with sediment impacts the device, resulting in accelerated sediment deposition, causing the submarine cable 1 to be buried in the seabed, and the flow blocking effect of the spoiler 300 disappears. When the seabed is scoured again, the submarine cable 1 is exposed on the seabed, and the spoiler 300 on the top of the submarine cable 1 will play a role again to complete the further self-burying process of the submarine cable 1.

[0047] In this way, after installing the device of the embodiment of the present application, the submarine cable 1 can adapt well to the scouring and deformation of the seabed. When the seabed changes due to scouring, since the present embodiment can continue to play a sinking role after the submarine cable 1 is exposed on the seabed, the submarine cable 1 continues to sink and be buried below the seabed, which can significantly reduce the subsequent operation and maintenance costs.

[0048] In some embodiments of the present application, the spoiler 300 is a flexible plate, so as to avoid the problem that the rigid material can only adapt to the single flow direction of the seabed current.

[0049] In a possible implementation, the spoiler 300 is a plate-shaped member made of PVC material with a thickness of 3-5 mm. When in use, the spoiler 300 is fixedly mounted on the base plate 110, and the spoiler 300 is arranged axially along the seabed cable 1. The strength of the spoiler 300 must meet the condition of being able to withstand the impact damage of adverse hydraulic conditions or other factors such as fishing nets.

[0050] It should be noted that the spoiler 300 is generally made of PVC material, and of course, it can also be made of a flexible and high-strength polymer material or alloy.

[0051] In some embodiments of the present application, a first slide groove is provided on one side of the substrate 110 close to the spoiler 300, and the spoiler 300 is inserted into the first slide groove. After the spoiler 300 is inserted into the first slide groove, the spoiler 300 is connected and fixed to the substrate 110 by a latch.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present application, see Figure 1 and Figure 7The device further includes an insert plate 400, one end of which is connected to the lower end surface of the inclined plate 120, and the other end of which extends in a direction away from the inclined plate 120. The insert plate 400 is inclined inwardly, which can effectively increase the friction between the device and the silted sand, and ensure the stability of the device after self-burial without detachment. It is worth understanding that the inner side refers to the side close to the submarine cable 1.

[0053] Further, see Figure 1 and Figure 7 The device further includes an adjustment structure 500, the insert plate 400 is hinged to the inclined plate 120, one end of the adjustment structure 500 is connected to the inclined plate 120, and the other end of the adjustment structure 500 is connected to the insert plate 400, and the adjustment structure 500 is used to adjust the relative angle between the inclined plate 120 and the insert plate 400. In this way, the inclination angle of the insert plate 400 and the inclined plate 120 is adjusted by the adjustment structure 500, which is conducive to improving the self-burying effect of the device.

[0054] In one possible implementation, see Figure 7 and Figure 8 The adjustment structure 500 includes a first screw rod 510, a second screw rod 520, a sleeve 530, a first nut 540 and a second nut 550. One end of the first screw rod 510 is hinged to the inclined plate 120, and the other end of the first screw rod 510 cooperates with one end of the sleeve 530. One end of the second screw rod 520 is connected to the insert plate 400, and the other end of the second screw rod 520 cooperates with the other end of the sleeve 530. The first screw rod 510 is sleeved with the first nut 540, and the second screw rod 520 is sleeved with the second nut 550.

[0055] The two ends of the sleeve 530 are respectively provided with internal threads for respectively cooperating with the first screw rod 510 and the second screw rod 520. By adjusting the relative position of the sleeve 530 and the first screw rod 510, and adjusting the relative position of the sleeve 530 and the second screw rod 520, the overall length of the adjustment structure 500 can be changed, so that the angle between the insertion plate 400 and the inclined plate 120 can be adjusted. After adjusting the relative position of the sleeve 530 and the first screw rod 510 and the second screw rod 520, the relative position of the first screw rod 510 and the sleeve 530 can be fixed by the first nut 540, and the relative position of the second screw rod 520 and the sleeve 530 can be fixed by the second nut 550.

[0056] In this embodiment, the threads of the inner thread of the sleeve 530 are centered at the midpoint and have opposite directions on both sides. The threads of the first screw 510 and the second screw 520 correspond to and match the sleeve 530, and the tightening rotation directions of the first nut 540 and the second nut 550 are opposite. When the angle between the tilting plate 120 and the insert plate 400 needs to be adjusted, the user tightens the first nut 540 and the second nut 550, rotates the sleeve 530, and adjusts the direction of the sleeve 530 to make the first screw 510 and the second screw 520 move closer to or farther from each other, thereby adjusting the angle between the tilting plate 120 and the insert plate 400.

[0057] In some embodiments of the present application, see Figure 1 The angle between the inclined plate 120 and the horizontal plane is 30°, which can achieve a good self-burying effect and also help reduce the situation where the submarine cable 1 is eroded by seawater.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present application, see Figure 1 and Figure 5 The base includes a fixing seat 130, which is mounted on the base plate 110. The fixing seat 130 is provided with a fixing groove, which matches the outer circumference of the submarine cable 1. In this way, the submarine cable 1 can be fixed conveniently to prevent the submarine cable 1 from bending or swinging.

[0059] Furthermore, the base also includes a flexible pad, which is arranged between the fixing groove and the submarine cable 1. Specifically, the flexible pad has the characteristic of corrosion resistance. The design of the fixing groove and the flexible pad can increase the contact area between the device of this embodiment and the submarine cable 1, thereby increasing the stability of fixing the submarine cable 1; the design of the corrosion-resistant flexible pad is used to make the fixing seat 130 and the submarine cable 1 flexibly contact each other to avoid friction damage.

[0060] In this embodiment, the flexible pad can be specifically selected as a corrosion-resistant rubber pad.

[0061] In some embodiments of the present application, see Figure 5 The base includes a fixing plate 140, and fixing plates 140 are arranged on both sides of the fixing seat 130. In this way, the fixing plates 140 can be used to limit the position of the submarine cable 1.

[0062] In some embodiments of the present application, the fixing structure 200 includes a binding belt, two ends of which are respectively connected to different positions of the base plate 110 , and the binding belt and the base plate 110 enclose a fixing space for fixing the submarine cable 1 .

[0063] In some embodiments of the present application, see Figure 1 and Figure 5The fixing plate 140 has a channel running through its upper and lower ends, and the binding belt is fixed on the spoiler 300 after being passed through the channel. Specifically, holes and grooves are provided at positions corresponding to the channels of the base plate 110 and the fixing plate 140, and the two ends of the binding belt extend to the spoiler 300 through the channels of the fixing plate 140 and through the holes and grooves of the base plate 110, and a fixture for connecting and fixing the binding belt is fixed on the spoiler 300.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the open end of the binding belt and the fixer are located on the upper side of the horizontal plate, which can reduce the impact and shaking of the submarine cable 1 by seawater during the subsequent self-burying process of the submarine cable 1, causing the connection area of ​​the binding belt to continue to rub against the seabed, thereby causing damage to the connection end of the binding belt or even breakage of the connection.

[0065] In some embodiments of the present application, see Figure 6 A plurality of buckles 141 are arranged at intervals in the channel, and a slot 210 is arranged at a position of the binding belt corresponding to the buckle 141, and the slot 210 cooperates with the buckle 141. In this way, the binding belt can be connected and fixed to the fixing plate 140.

[0066] In one embodiment, see Figure 6 The slot 210 and the buckle 141 are in a right-angle structure. In this way, the submarine pipe cable 1 can be conveniently tightened, and the movement of the binding belt relative to the fixing plate 140 can be limited.

[0067] In a specific implementation manner, during implementation, firstly, various dirt on the outer wall of the counterweight layer of the submarine cable 1 is cleaned to ensure that the tube wall is smooth, and then the base is placed above the submarine cable 1. Specifically, the base plate 110 is placed horizontally and the inclined plates 120 are mounted on both sides of the submarine cable 1, and the base is fixed to the submarine cable 1 by a binding belt. After the binding belt is tightened to a specified tension, one end of the binding belt is fixed by a fixer to ensure that the base does not undergo lateral displacement and rotation, and the spoiler 300 is installed in the first slide groove of the base plate 110 and fixed by a pin.

[0068] Furthermore, in order to ensure that the device can maximize its effectiveness, the device must be located directly above the submarine pipeline, the maximum deviation in the vertical direction cannot exceed 10 degrees, and each section of the spoiler 300 must be firmly fixed on the submarine cable 1, and the binding belt cannot be broken or damaged.

[0069] In practical applications, this device has certain conditions to achieve better self-burying effect:

[0070] (1) The seabed flow velocity in the sea area where the device is used reaches a certain value. For example, the seabed flow velocity generated by wave current is not less than 0.2 m / s. A larger flow velocity can increase the speed of burying the submarine cable 1.

[0071] (2) The seabed in the sea area where the device is used is erodible sandy soil. Generally, the silt content is allowed to be no more than 40%. The seabed mainly composed of clay and gravel is not suitable for self-burying of submarine cable 1. However, the device can also have a positive effect on the cable, such as suppressing a certain degree of vortex-induced vibration and improving the stability of the submarine cable 1 in situ operation.

[0072] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0073] The terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of this application, unless otherwise specified, "plurality" means two or more.

[0074] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a direct connection, or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0075] In the description of this specification, specific features, structures, materials or characteristics may be combined in an appropriate manner in any one or more embodiments or examples.

[0076] It should be understood that, although the steps in the flowchart of the accompanying drawings are displayed in sequence as indicated by the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed in sequence in the order indicated by the arrows. Unless otherwise specified herein, there is no strict order restriction on the execution of these steps, and they can be executed in other orders. Moreover, at least a part of the steps in the flowchart of the accompanying drawings may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages, and these sub-steps or stages are not necessarily executed at the same time, but can be executed at different times, and their execution order is not necessarily sequential, but can be executed in turn or alternately with other steps or at least a part of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.

Claims

1. A device for laying submarine cables, characterized in that: include: The base comprises a base plate and inclined plates arranged on both sides of the base plate, wherein one end of the inclined plate is connected to the base plate, and the other end of the inclined plate is arranged to be inclined downward compared to the base plate; A fixing structure connected to the base, the fixing structure being used to fix the submarine cable; A spoiler, the lower side of which is connected to the base plate, and the upper side of which extends in a direction away from the base plate, wherein the extending direction of the spoiler is the same as the axial direction of the submarine cable.

2. The device for laying submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: The spoiler is a flexible plate.

3. The device for laying submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes an insert plate, one end of which is connected to the lower end surface of the inclined plate, and the other end of which extends in a direction away from the inclined plate.

4. The device for laying submarine cables according to claim 3, characterized in that: It also includes an adjustment structure, wherein the insert plate is hinged to the inclined plate, one end of the adjustment structure is connected to the inclined plate, and the other end of the adjustment structure is connected to the insert plate, and the adjustment structure is used to adjust the relative angle between the inclined plate and the insert plate.

5. The device for laying submarine cables according to claim 4, characterized in that: The adjustment structure includes a first screw, a second screw, a sleeve, a first nut and a second nut. One end of the first screw is hinged to the inclined plate, and the other end of the first screw cooperates with one end of the sleeve. One end of the second screw is connected to the insert plate, and the other end of the second screw cooperates with the other end of the sleeve. The first screw is provided with a first nut, and the second screw is provided with a second nut.

6. The device for laying submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: The included angle between the inclined plate and the base plate is 30°.

7. The device for laying submarine cables according to claim 1, characterized in that: The base comprises a fixing seat, the fixing seat is mounted on the base plate, the fixing seat is provided with a fixing groove, and the fixing groove matches the outer circumference of the submarine cable.

8. The device for laying submarine cables according to claim 7, characterized in that: The base also includes a flexible pad disposed between the fixing groove and the submarine umbilical cable.

9. The device for laying submarine cables according to claim 7, characterized in that: The base comprises a fixing plate, and the fixing plates are arranged on both sides of the fixing base.

10. The device for laying submarine cables according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The fixing structure comprises a binding belt, two ends of which are respectively connected to different positions of the base plate, and the binding belt and the base plate enclose a fixing space for fixing the submarine pipe cable.

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