A device for laying submarine cables

Abstract

The embodiment of the present application provides a device for laying submarine ducts and cables, which relates to the field of marine equipment technology and includes: a base, including a substrate and inclined plates arranged on both sides of the substrate, one end of the inclined plate is connected to the substrate, and the other end of the inclined plate is arranged downwardly and inclined relative to the substrate; a fixed structure connected to the base, and the fixed structure is used to fix the submarine duct and cable; a spoiler, the lower side of the spoiler is connected to the substrate, and the upper side of the spoiler extends in a direction away from the substrate, wherein the extension direction of the spoiler is the same as the axial direction of the submarine duct and cable. After the device of the embodiment of the present application is installed, the submarine duct and cable can adapt well to the scouring deformation of the seabed. When the seabed undergoes scouring changes, since the embodiment can continue to play a sinking role after the duct and cable are exposed to the seabed, the duct and cable continue to sink and be buried below the seabed, which can significantly reduce the subsequent operation and maintenance costs.

Description

Technical Field

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

[0002] To ensure the safety of submarine cables and the marine environment, submarine cables are often buried to avoid potential damage from waves, currents, anchoring, trawling, and other factors. Existing methods involve mechanical excavation of the seabed, laying the cable in a trench, and then backfilling the trench to complete the installation. This approach is time- and financially expensive, and is significantly affected by environmental factors, making it unsuitable for 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 umbilical cables to reduce the laying and maintenance costs of submarine umbilical cables.

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

[0005] The base includes 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 relative to the base plate;

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

[0007] A spoiler, wherein the lower side of the spoiler is connected to the base plate, and the upper side of the spoiler 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 sliding groove is provided on a side of the base plate close to the spoiler, and the spoiler is inserted into the first sliding groove.

[0010] Furthermore, an insert plate is included, 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, 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] Furthermore, 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, which 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 further includes a flexible pad, which is arranged between the fixing groove and the submarine cable.

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

[0017] Furthermore, the fixing structure includes 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 umbilical cable.

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

[0019] Furthermore, a plurality of buckles are arranged at intervals in the channel, and the binding belt is provided with slots at positions corresponding to the buckles, and the slots cooperate with the buckles.

[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 direction of water flow, a vortex will form 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 strengthened, and the flow velocity between the bottom of the cable and the seabed increases, resulting in scouring of the bottom and backflow side of the submarine cable. Under the action of reciprocating flow, the scouring pit around the submarine cable gradually becomes larger to form a shallow trench. 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 trench. When the tide weakens and the current velocity in this area suddenly slows down, the sea current carrying sediment impacts the device, causing the sediment to accumulate faster, causing the submarine cable to be buried in the seabed, and the flow 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, completing 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 deformation of the seabed due to scouring. When the seabed undergoes scouring changes, since the present embodiment can continue to play a sinking role after the cable is exposed to the seabed, 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 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 paying any 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 Schematic top view 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 the submarine cable in this application;

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

[0028] Figure 6 This is 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 structural diagram of the adjustment structure in one embodiment of the present application.

[0031] Reference numerals:

[0032] 1. Submarine cables;

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

[0034] 200, fixed structure; 210, 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 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 in 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.

[0039] Submarine pipelines, a crucial means of offshore oil and gas production and transportation, are the lifeline for offshore oil and gas resource storage, transportation, and delivery. Submarine cables, connecting offshore wind farm turbine platforms, booster stations, and onshore control centers, carry the power and communications needs of the entire wind farm. Damage to submarine cables can not only cause significant property losses but also have severe, long-term environmental and social impacts. Therefore, the safety of submarine cables is of paramount importance worldwide. Many international research institutions and oil companies have invested significant resources in studying the stability of submarine cables on the seabed. Submarine cables are susceptible to the effects of the marine environment during installation and operation. Exposing the cables to erosion can lead to failures that could impact normal operation. Therefore, preventing these cables from becoming exposed and hanging in the air is crucial.

[0040] To ensure the safety of submarine cables and the marine environment, submarine cables are often buried to avoid potential damage from waves, currents, anchoring, trawling, and other factors. The current method for burying submarine cables involves mechanical excavation of the seabed, laying the cable in a trench, and then backfilling the trench to complete the burial. This method is time- and financially expensive, and is significantly affected by environmental factors, making it unsuitable for all situations.

[0041] In view of this, the present application proposes a device for laying submarine cables to effectively solve the aforementioned 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 fixing structure 200 and a spoiler 300 .

[0043] Specifically, the base includes a substrate 110 and inclined plates 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 fixing structure 200 is connected to the base, and the fixing 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 this device, see Figure 3 and Figure 4The 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 between the two sides of the submarine cable 1. The vortex on the backflow side of the submarine cable 1 is strengthened, and the flow rate between the bottom of the submarine cable 1 and the seabed increases, causing the bottom and backflow side of the submarine cable 1 to be scoured. Under the action of the reciprocating flow, the scour pit around the submarine cable 1 gradually increases to form a shallow trench. Under the weight of the submarine cable 1 and the downward pressure generated by the spoiler 300, the submarine cable 1 naturally enters the shallow trench. When the tide weakens and the current velocity in this area suddenly slows down, the sediment-laden current impacts the device, causing the sediment to accumulate faster, 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 come into play again, completing 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 deformation caused by scouring of the seabed. When the seabed undergoes scouring and changes, since the present embodiment can continue to play a sinking role after the submarine cable 1 is exposed from 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 a rigid material can only adapt to a single flow direction of the submarine current.

[0049] In one possible embodiment, the spoiler 300 is a plate-shaped member made of PVC material with a thickness of 3-5 mm. During use, the spoiler 300 is fixedly mounted on the base plate 110 and arranged axially along the seabed umbilical cable 1. The spoiler 300 must be strong enough to withstand damage from adverse hydraulic conditions or other impacts such as fishing nets.

[0050] It should be noted that the spoiler 300 is generally made of PVC material. 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 slot is provided on a side of the substrate 110 close to the spoiler 300, and the spoiler 300 is inserted into the first slot. After the spoiler 300 is inserted into the first slot, the spoiler 300 is connected and fixed to the substrate 110 by a latch.

[0052] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 1 and Figure 7The device also 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 away from the inclined plate 120. The inward tilt of the insert plate 400 effectively increases the friction between the device and the accumulated silt, ensuring the stability of the device after self-burial and preventing it from detaching. It is important to understand that the inward side refers to the side closest to the submarine cable 1.

[0053] Further, see Figure 1 and Figure 7 The device also includes an adjustment structure 500. The insert plate 400 is hingedly connected 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. 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 adjustment structure 500 can adjust the inclination angle of the insert plate 400 and the inclined plate 120, thereby 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 510, a second screw 520, a sleeve 530, a first nut 540 and a second nut 550. One end of the first screw 510 is hinged to the inclined plate 120, and the other end of the first screw 510 cooperates with one end of the sleeve 530. One end of the second screw 520 is connected to the insert plate 400, and the other end of the second screw 520 cooperates with the other end of the sleeve 530. The first screw 510 is sleeved with the first nut 540, and the second screw 520 is sleeved with the second nut 550.

[0055] The sleeve 530 has internal threads at both ends, respectively configured to engage with the first screw rod 510 and the second screw rod 520. By adjusting the relative positions of the sleeve 530 and the first screw rod 510, and the sleeve 530 and the second screw rod 520, the overall length of the adjustment structure 500 can be varied, thereby adjusting the angle between the insert plate 400 and the tilting plate 120. After adjusting the relative positions of the sleeve 530 and the first and second screw rods 510, 520, the relative positions of the first and second screw rods 510, 520 can be fixed using the first nut 540, and the relative positions of the second and second screw rods 520, 520, can be fixed using the second nut 550.

[0056] In this embodiment, the internal threads of the sleeve 530 are oriented in opposite directions around its midpoint. The threads of the first screw 510 and the second screw 520 correspond to and match the sleeve 530. The first nut 540 and the second nut 550 are tightened in opposite directions. To adjust the angle between the tilting plate 120 and the insert plate 400, the user loosens or tightens the first and second nuts 540, 550, and rotates the sleeve 530. By adjusting the direction of the sleeve 530, the first and second screws 510, 520 are moved closer or further apart, thereby adjusting the angle between the tilting plate 120 and the insert plate 400.

[0057] In some embodiments of this 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 to reduce the situation where the submarine cable 1 is eroded by seawater.

[0058] In some embodiments of this 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 easily fixed to prevent the submarine cable 1 from bending or swinging.

[0059] Furthermore, the base includes a flexible pad positioned between the fixing groove and the submarine umbilical 1. Specifically, the flexible pad is corrosion-resistant. The design of the fixing groove and the flexible pad increases the contact area between the device of this embodiment and the submarine umbilical 1, thereby increasing the stability of the fixing of the submarine umbilical 1. The corrosion-resistant flexible pad ensures flexible contact between the fixing base 130 and the submarine umbilical 1, preventing friction damage.

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

[0061] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 5 The base includes a fixing plate 140, and fixing plates 140 are provided 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, both ends of which are 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 umbilical cable 1 .

[0063] In some embodiments of this application, see Figure 1 and Figure 5The fixing plate 140 has channels running through its upper and lower ends. The tie straps are inserted through the channels and then fixed to the spoiler 300. Specifically, holes and slots are provided at positions on the base plate 110 corresponding to the channels of the fixing plate 140. The ends of the tie straps pass through the channels of the fixing plate 140 and through the holes and slots of the base plate 110 to extend to the spoiler 300. A fastener for connecting and fixing the tie straps is fixed to the spoiler 300.

[0064] In the above embodiment, the open end and the fixer of the binding belt 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-burial 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 this application, see Figure 6 A plurality of buckles 141 are arranged at intervals in the channel, and a slot 210 is provided at the 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-angled structure. This makes it easy to tighten the submarine umbilical cable 1 while limiting the movement of the binding belt relative to the fixing plate 140.

[0067] In a specific embodiment, during implementation, first, various dirt is cleaned from the outer wall of the counterweight layer of the submarine cable 1 to ensure that the tube wall is smooth, and then the base is placed on 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. 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 fastener to ensure that the base does not undergo lateral displacement and rotation. 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 straps cannot be broken or damaged.

[0069] In actual application, 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-burial of submarine cable 1. However, this 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 operation.

[0072] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside", etc., indicating the orientation or position relationship, are based on the orientation or position relationship shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing this 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 cannot be understood as a limitation on this application.

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

[0074] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, the terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be understood broadly. For example, they can refer to fixed connections, detachable connections, or integral connections; they can refer to direct connections, indirect connections through an intermediate medium, or internal communication between two components. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms in this application based on 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 flowcharts of the accompanying drawings are shown in sequence as indicated by the arrows, these steps are not necessarily executed 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 some of the steps in the flowcharts 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 portion of the sub-steps or stages of other steps.

Claims

1. A device for laying submarine cables, characterized in that: include: The base includes 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 relative to the base plate; a fixing structure connected to the base, the fixing structure being used to fix the submarine umbilical cable; a spoiler, wherein a lower side of the spoiler is connected to the base plate, and an upper side of the spoiler 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; Also included is an insert plate, one end of the insert plate is connected to the lower end surface of the inclined plate, and the other end extends in a direction away from the inclined plate; The insert plate is hinged to the inclined plate, one end of the adjusting structure is connected to the inclined plate, and the other end of the adjusting structure is connected to the insert plate, and the adjusting structure is used to adjust the relative angle between the inclined plate and the insert plate; 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.

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: The included angle between the inclined plate and the base plate is 30°.

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

5. The device for laying submarine cables according to claim 4, characterized in that: The base further includes a flexible pad disposed between the fixing groove and the submarine umbilical cable.

6. The device for laying submarine cables according to claim 4, characterized in that: The base includes a fixing plate, and the fixing plates are arranged on both sides of the fixing base.

7. The device for laying submarine cables according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: The fixing structure includes 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 umbilical cable.

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