An adjustable ballast tank and its medium distribution method, and a floating offshore platform.

Abstract

The present invention relates to the technical field of ballast tanks, and discloses an adjustable ballast tank, a medium mixing method thereof, and a floating offshore platform. The adjustable ballast tank includes: a plurality of medium capsules, which are nested in sequence or arranged closely together, each medium capsule having an independent medium cavity, each medium cavity being capable of storing a medium, and each medium cavity being connected to the outside world through a channel opening on the medium capsule for filling or discharging the medium. The present invention can store a variety of media by providing a plurality of medium cavities, so that the floating offshore platform can mix and use media when operating at sea, making it more convenient to obtain the media and having better economic benefits.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of ballast tank technology, specifically to an adjustable ballast tank and its medium preparation method, and a floating offshore platform. Background Technology

[0002] A floating offshore platform is a large floating facility set up at sea. It can serve as a support foundation for other structures (such as wind turbines). Therefore, floating offshore platforms can be widely used in fields that require offshore operations, such as marine science, environmental protection, resource development, and weather forecasting.

[0003] Ballast tanks, as key components of floating offshore platforms, adjust the platform's center of gravity distribution and maintain its balance. Existing ballast tanks typically use water as the medium, changing the platform's draft, stability, and center of gravity by filling the tank with water or draining it, thereby adjusting the platform's buoyancy to adapt to different operational needs and environmental conditions. However, such ballast tanks can only utilize a single medium for adjustment and cannot meet the demands of complex offshore construction conditions requiring the use of multiple media. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In view of this, the present invention provides an adjustable ballast tank and its medium preparation method, as well as a floating offshore platform, to solve the problem that existing ballast tanks can only be adjusted using a single medium and cannot meet the needs of complex offshore construction conditions for the use of multiple media.

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an adjustable ballast tank, comprising: multiple media bladders, wherein the multiple media bladders are nested in sequence or arranged adjacent to each other, each media bladder has an independent media cavity, each media cavity can store a medium, and each media cavity is connected to the outside through a channel on the media bladder to be filled or discharged with a medium.

[0006] Beneficial effects

[0007] Adjustable ballast tanks have multiple media bladders, each with its own independent media chamber. Since each chamber is independent, different media can be stored in different chambers. When used on floating offshore platforms, different media can be initially filled into the ballast tanks. During operation at sea, personnel can then remove the required media (such as fresh water or oil) and fill the empty media chambers with other media (such as seawater). This allows for the adjustment and use of media, overcoming the challenges of high difficulty and cost in transporting resources at sea.

[0008] In an optional embodiment, the adjustable ballast tank includes three media bladders nested from the inside out, and each media bladder has a connecting pipe at its channel opening, through which the media cavity of the media bladder communicates with the outside.

[0009] Beneficial effects

[0010] The media bladders are arranged in a nested manner, which makes it easier to maintain the stability of the ballast tank's center of gravity and ensures good balance during the extraction and input of media.

[0011] In an optional embodiment, the length of the connecting pipe on the innermost medium sac is greater than that on the middle medium sac, and the length of the connecting pipe on the middle medium sac is greater than that on the outermost medium sac.

[0012] Beneficial effects

[0013] Different lengths of connecting pipes are set up to connect to the media bladder according to its different internal and external positions, which can ensure that the media in different media cavities will not interact or mix during the media transportation process.

[0014] In an optional embodiment, a control valve is provided on the connecting pipe.

[0015] Beneficial effects

[0016] Setting up a control valve allows for the control of the opening and closing of the connecting pipeline, which facilitates the control of the process of filling or extracting the medium into the medium chamber.

[0017] In an optional embodiment, the medium capsule is a double-membrane structure.

[0018] Beneficial effects

[0019] The medium capsule adopts a double-layer membrane structure, which has higher strength and is not easily damaged, thus preventing the mixing of media in different media chambers.

[0020] In an optional embodiment, the medium stored in the medium cavity is a gaseous medium or a liquid medium.

[0021] Secondly, the present invention also provides a method for adjusting the medium in an adjustable ballast tank, applied to the adjustable ballast tank, comprising:

[0022] Fill one or more media chambers of the ballast tank with media and adjust the center of gravity of the ballast tank to a suitable position;

[0023] The required medium is extracted from the medium cavity containing the medium, while other media are filled into other medium cavities to maintain the center of gravity of the ballast tank unchanged.

[0024] Beneficial effects

[0025] This media preparation method allows for the preparation and use of media within the ballast tank while maintaining its center of gravity and balance. The media originally stored in the media chamber can be extracted for use by personnel and replaced with other types of media, facilitating construction.

[0026] Thirdly, the present invention also provides a floating offshore platform, including the aforementioned adjustable ballast tank, and further comprising:

[0027] A floating body assembly, the floating body assembly including multiple pontoons and multiple cross braces, the multiple pontoons being arranged in a circumferential array, and two adjacent pontoons being connected by the cross braces, each pontoon being provided with an adjustable ballast tank;

[0028] A support assembly, comprising a deck and multiple columns, wherein each of the pontoons is provided with one column, each column is provided with an adjustable ballast tank, and the deck is provided at the top of the multiple columns;

[0029] A mooring assembly comprising a plurality of mooring cables, one end of which is connected to the post and the other end of which is connected to the seabed.

[0030] Beneficial effects

[0031] Since floating offshore platforms include adjustable ballast tanks, which have the same effect as adjustable ballast tanks, they will not be elaborated on here. Attached Figure Description

[0032] To more clearly illustrate the specific embodiments of the present invention or the technical solutions in the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the specific embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained from these drawings without creative effort.

[0033] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of an adjustable ballast tank according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of a floating offshore platform according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the arrangement of ballast tanks in a floating offshore platform according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0037] 1. Adjustable ballast tank; 11. Medium bladder; 12. Medium cavity; 13. Connecting pipes;

[0038] 2. Floating body assembly, 21. Float, 22. Cross brace;

[0039] 3. Support components; 31. Deck; 32. Columns;

[0040] 41. Mooring cable. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The technical solution of the present invention will now be clearly and completely described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present invention. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0042] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "center," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings and are intended solely to facilitate and simplify the description of the present invention. They are not intended to indicate or imply that the devices or components referred to must have, be constructed, or operate in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as limitations on the present invention. Furthermore, the terms "first," "second," and "third" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance.

[0043] In the description of this invention, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," and "linking" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0044] In addition, the technical features involved in the different embodiments of the present invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0045] Related technologies involve installing ballast tanks on floating offshore platforms to adjust the platform's center of gravity and maintain its balance. However, each ballast tank contains only one cavity for storing a medium. During operation, the platform's draft and center of gravity can be altered by adding or removing the same medium from the cavity; the medium itself does not serve any other purpose. However, because floating offshore platforms are located at sea, many liquid or gaseous resources are difficult to obtain and require specialized maritime transport, resulting in high costs and difficulties in resource acquisition.

[0046] To address the challenges of resource acquisition and high transportation and production costs for floating offshore platforms, improvements were made to the ballast tanks to utilize the medium, making it easier for floating offshore platforms to acquire resources. The following section combines... Figures 1 to 3 The following describes embodiments of the present invention.

[0047] According to an embodiment of the present invention, an adjustable ballast tank 1 is provided, which can be applied to a floating offshore platform. The adjustable ballast tank 1 includes a plurality of media bladders 11. The plurality of media bladders 11 are nested sequentially or arranged adjacent to each other, each media bladder 11 has an independent media cavity 12, each media cavity 12 can store a medium, and each media cavity 12 is connected to the outside through a channel on the media bladder 11 to be filled or discharged with a medium.

[0048] There are two ways to arrange the multiple media capsules 11. One arrangement is a nested arrangement from the inside out, where the second media capsule 11 is nested outside the first (innermost) media capsule 11, the third media capsule 11 is nested outside the second, and so on. In this arrangement, the entire media cavity 12 of the first media capsule 11 can hold media. However, since the first media capsule 11 occupies part of the media cavity 12 of the second media capsule 11, the space between the second and first media capsules is the actual space available for the media cavity 12 of the second media capsule 11. Similarly, the actual space available for the media cavity 12 of the outer media capsule 11 is the space occupied by the inner media capsule 11 minus the space occupied by the inner media capsule 11. The other arrangement is where the multiple media capsules 11 are arranged adjacent to each other, such as in a single row and multiple columns, multiple rows and single columns, or multiple rows and multiple columns densely packed. In this arrangement, the entire space of the media cavity 12 of each media capsule 11 can hold media. Regardless of the configuration, the media cavities 12 of the different media capsules 11 are not interconnected; they are independent of each other and can only communicate with the outside world through corresponding channels to achieve media input or output. In this way, different types of media can be stored in different media cavities 12 without mixing or interfering with each other.

[0049] The adjustable ballast tank 1, by setting multiple media bladders 11, provides multiple spaces for storing various media. Therefore, it can store different types of media, allowing the use of media from one or more media bladders 12 while maintaining a constant total volume of media in the ballast tank by adding other types of media to other bladders 12. This ensures that the center of gravity of the ballast tank does not change due to media usage. In practical applications, media can be filled into the ballast tank on land, then placed on a floating offshore platform, which is then positioned at sea. During operations, media needed for living or construction (such as fresh water, oil, and special gases) can be extracted from the ballast tank, while readily available marine media (seawater) can be added. This allows for rapid access to necessary resources at sea, meeting living or construction needs, greatly improving convenience, and eliminating the need for specialized land-based transport of resources by ship. This reduces the difficulty and cost of maritime transport, resulting in significant economic benefits.

[0050] In one embodiment, the adjustable ballast tank 1 includes three media bladders 11 nested from the inside out, and each media bladder 11 is provided with a connecting pipe 13 at its channel opening, and the media cavity 12 of the media bladder 11 is connected to the outside through the connecting pipe 13.

[0051] Specifically, in this embodiment, the ballast tank includes three media bladders 11, which are nested sequentially from the inside out, meaning the media cavities 12 of the three media bladders 11 increase in size sequentially. For example... Figure 1 As shown, from the outside, the ballast tank is approximately a vertically placed cuboid, with the outermost medium bladder 11 having a rectangular cross-section perpendicular to its height. However, the two inner medium bladders 11 are approximately cylindrical, meaning their cross-sections perpendicular to their height are both circular, but their outer diameters differ. It should be noted that... Figure 1 This is just a cross-sectional diagram of the ballast tank in a certain state. Because the medium bladder 11 itself is soft, it will expand freely after being filled with medium, and its cross-sectional shape is not fixed. It can be other regular or irregular shapes.

[0052] Furthermore, since the innermost medium bladder 11 is located far inside, it is difficult to directly connect to the outside through the channel opening. Therefore, a connecting pipe 13 is provided at the channel opening of each medium bladder 11 to facilitate communication between the medium chamber 12 and the outside, making it convenient to fill or extract the medium from the medium chamber 12. Moreover, this nested arrangement of the three medium bladders 11 concentrically allows for better control of the ballast tank's center of gravity during medium extraction or filling, maintaining the stability of the ballast tank.

[0053] For example, water with a volume of 0.8V can be stored in one medium cavity 12 of the ballast tank, and air with a volume of 0.2V can be stored in another medium cavity 12. Then, during use, the water and air can be gradually extracted, while oil with a volume of V can be gradually filled into the other empty medium cavity 12. The total weight and average center of gravity of this three-layer nested ballast tank do not change throughout the entire process.

[0054] In another embodiment, the three media capsules 11 can also be arranged sequentially in one direction. This arrangement allows for a larger storage space for the media because the media cavity 12 of the media capsules 11 is not occupied by additional space.

[0055] Of course, regardless of the setting method used, the number of media capsules 11 can be adjusted in other embodiments, such as two or four, etc. This embodiment does not impose specific limitations.

[0056] In one embodiment, a control valve is provided on the connecting pipe 13.

[0057] Connecting pipe 13 connects the medium chamber 12 to the outside. A control valve installed on connecting pipe 13 can control the opening and closing of connecting pipe 13. Specifically, a solenoid valve can be used, which facilitates automated control.

[0058] Furthermore, in other embodiments, a flow meter can be installed on the connecting pipe 13 to count the amount of medium entering or exiting the medium chamber 12, thereby facilitating the maintenance of the dynamic balance of the ballast tank.

[0059] Specifically, such as Figure 1 As shown, from the outside, the ballast tank is approximately a vertically placed cuboid, with the outermost medium bladder 11 having a rectangular cross-section perpendicular to its height. However, the two inner medium bladders 11 are approximately cylindrical, meaning that the cross-sections of the two inner medium bladders 11 perpendicular to their height are both circular, but the outer diameters of these two medium bladders 11 are different.

[0060] In other embodiments, the cross-section of the medium capsule 11 perpendicular to its height direction may also be other shapes, such as trapezoidal, triangular, etc.; the cross-sections of adjacent medium capsules 11 perpendicular to their height direction may be the same or different. For example, the cross-sections of the three medium capsules 11 perpendicular to their height direction may all be circular.

[0061] In one embodiment, the medium capsule 11 is a double-layer membrane structure.

[0062] The media capsule 11 with its double-layer membrane structure is more robust and durable, and less prone to damage, thus preventing the media capsule 11 from becoming unusable due to the mixing of different types of media in adjacent media cavities 12 caused by damage to the media capsule 11.

[0063] In one embodiment, the medium stored in the medium cavity 12 is a gaseous medium or a liquid medium.

[0064] Specifically, gaseous media such as air, hydrogen, and helium, and liquid media such as fresh water and oil can be selected according to the needs of living or construction. Each media chamber 12 of each media sac 11 can store one type of medium, while media chambers 12 of different media sacs 11 can store the same type of medium or different types of media. For example, if only one type of resource is needed, that type of medium can be stored in multiple media chambers 12; if multiple resources are needed, different types of media can be stored in different media chambers 12. For ballast tanks of the same size, storing one type of medium results in a larger total quantity, while storing multiple types of media results in a smaller quantity of each type.

[0065] According to an embodiment of the present invention, in another aspect, a media preparation method for an adjustable ballast tank 1 is also provided, applied to the adjustable ballast tank 1 provided in the above embodiment for media preparation. The media preparation method includes:

[0066] Fill one or more media chambers 12 of the ballast tank with media and adjust the center of gravity of the ballast tank to a suitable position;

[0067] The required medium is extracted from the medium chamber 12 containing the medium, while other media are filled into other medium chambers 12 to maintain the center of gravity of the ballast tank unchanged.

[0068] Specifically, the required medium is filled into the medium chamber 12 of the ballast tank. This step is generally carried out on land. Depending on the weight and type of the required medium, one medium chamber 12 may be filled, or multiple medium chambers 12 may be filled with the same or different types of medium. Generally, the number of medium chambers 12 selected should be less than the total number of medium chambers 12 to facilitate the subsequent use of the medium. However, regardless of how many medium chambers 12 are selected and filled with medium, it is essential to ensure that the final center of gravity of the ballast tank is in a suitable position.

[0069] Furthermore, the ballast tanks, filled with the medium, are installed on a floating offshore platform and transported to sea for construction work. When a certain medium is needed, it can be extracted from the corresponding medium chamber 12 through the connecting pipe 13. Simultaneously, other medium chambers 12 need to be filled with the same medium. This can be done by filling a medium chamber 12 containing other types of media with the same medium, or by filling an empty medium chamber 12 with other types of media. Moreover, media can be filled into one medium chamber 12, multiple medium chambers 12 can be filled with the same medium, or multiple medium chambers 12 can be filled with different types of media. The total amount of media filled and extracted is equal, meaning this process is dynamically balanced, thus maintaining the overall center of gravity of the ballast tanks and ensuring the balance of the floating offshore platform.

[0070] According to an embodiment of the present invention, another aspect provides a floating offshore platform, comprising: an adjustable ballast tank 1, a floating body assembly 2, a support assembly 3, and a mooring assembly. The floating body assembly 2 includes a plurality of pontoons 21 and a plurality of cross braces 22. The plurality of pontoons 21 are arranged in a circumferential array, and adjacent pontoons 21 are connected by cross braces 22. Each pontoon 21 is provided with an adjustable ballast tank 1. The support assembly 3 includes a deck 31 and a plurality of columns 32. Each pontoon 21 is provided with a column 32, and each column 32 is provided with an adjustable ballast tank 1. The deck 31 is located at the top of the plurality of columns 32. The mooring assembly includes a plurality of mooring cables 41, one end of which is connected to the column 32, and the other end is connected to the seabed.

[0071] Specifically, such as Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the floating assembly 2 includes three pontoons 21 and three cross braces 22. The pontoons 21 have a semi-circular cross section, and the three pontoons 21 are arranged in a triangular pattern. Adjacent pontoons 21 are connected together by the cross braces 22. Correspondingly, the support assembly 3 includes a deck 31 and three columns 32. The three columns 32 are respectively mounted on the three pontoons 21, and the deck 31 is connected to the top of the three columns 32. Both the pontoons 21 and the columns 32 are hollow, and adjustable ballast tanks 1 are provided inside. In addition, the cross braces 22 can also be hollow inside, and adjustable ballast tanks 1 can also be provided. The center of gravity of the entire floating offshore platform can be adjusted by the adjustable ballast tanks 1. The mooring cable 41 in the mooring assembly connects the columns 32 and the seabed, maintaining the position of the floating offshore platform at sea.

[0072] Further, such as Figure 3 The diagram shows the arrangement of adjustable ballast tanks 1 inside a floating offshore platform. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the pontoon 21 is approximately semi-circular, and the surface of the adjustable ballast tank 1 located inside the pontoon 21 adjacent to the arc surface of the pontoon 21 is also arc-shaped, matching the pontoon 21. The cross braces 22 and the columns 32 are columnar with rectangular cross-sectional shapes, and the cross-sectional shape of the adjustable ballast tanks 1 located inside the cross braces 22 and the columns 32 is also rectangular, matching the cross braces 22 and the columns 32. This maximizes the utilization of the internal space of the pontoons 21, cross braces 22, and columns 32, resulting in a larger total volume of stored media. Of course, the number of adjustable ballast tanks 1 inside the pontoons 21, cross braces 22, and columns 32 can be one or more.

[0073] In practical applications, some ballast tanks within the floating offshore platform can be filled with fresh water to supply living needs for workers on nearby islands during construction, while seawater can be added to the other ballast tanks.

[0074] Although embodiments of the invention have been described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art can make various modifications and variations without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and such modifications and variations all fall within the scope defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A floating offshore platform, characterized in that, The adjustable ballast tank (1) includes multiple media bladders (11), which are nested or arranged adjacent to each other. Each media bladder (11) has an independent media cavity (12), which can store a medium. Each media cavity (12) is connected to the outside through a channel on the media bladder (11) to be filled or discharged with a medium. Furthermore, each of the media capsules (11) is provided with a connecting pipe (13) at the channel opening, and the media cavity (12) of the media capsule (11) is connected to the outside through the connecting pipe (13); A control valve is installed on the connecting pipe (13); A flow meter is installed on the connecting pipe (13); The adjustable ballast tank (1) distributes the medium in each of the medium bladders (11) using a medium distribution method, which includes: Fill one or more media chambers (12) of the ballast tank with media and adjust the center of gravity of the ballast tank to a suitable position; The required medium is extracted from the medium cavity (12) containing the medium, while other media are filled into other medium cavities (12). The total amount of medium filled and extracted is equal, so as to keep the center of gravity of the adjustable ballast tank (1) unchanged. Also includes: The floating body assembly (2) includes multiple pontoons (21) and multiple cross braces (22). The multiple pontoons (21) are arranged in a circumferential array, and two adjacent pontoons (21) are connected by the cross braces (22). Each pontoon (21) is provided with the adjustable ballast tank (1). Support assembly (3), the support assembly (3) includes a deck (31) and a plurality of columns (32), each of the floats (21) is provided with a column (32), each of the columns (32) is provided with an adjustable ballast tank (1), and the deck (31) is provided at the top of the plurality of columns (32); The mooring assembly includes a plurality of mooring cables (41), one end of which is connected to the post (32) and the other end of which is connected to the seabed.

2. The floating offshore platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, It includes three media capsules (11) nested from the inside out.

3. The floating offshore platform according to claim 2, characterized in that, The length of the connecting pipe (13) provided on the innermost medium sac (11) is greater than that of the connecting pipe (13) provided on the middle medium sac (11), and the length of the connecting pipe (13) provided on the middle medium sac (11) is greater than that of the connecting pipe (13) provided on the outermost medium sac (11).

4. The floating offshore platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The medium capsule (11) has a double-layer membrane structure.

5. The floating offshore platform according to claim 1, characterized in that, The medium stored in the medium cavity (12) is a gaseous medium or a liquid medium.

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