A bionic spudcan for a jack-up offshore platform and a method of use

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of offshore construction of self-elevating marine operation platforms, and particularly to a biomimetic pile shoe for such platforms. The pile shoe includes an intelligent high-pressure pile-driving system, a cone-shaped pile shoe system, and a throwable shoe pad system mounted on the pile legs. The intelligent high-pressure pile-driving system includes a high-pressure water pump housed within the pile legs. A main water supply pipe is connected to the pump, and a branch water pipe and an end valve are connected to the main water supply pipe. The branch water pipe is connected to a nozzle. The high-pressure water pump is controlled by an intelligent pile-driving control center. The cone-shaped pile shoe system includes a pile shoe bottom, a pile shoe top, and an interior. A water outlet is formed at the bottom of the pile shoe. The branch water pipe, end valve, and nozzle are located inside the pile shoe, with the nozzle extending beyond the water outlet. The throwable shoe pad system includes a throwable shoe pad, a lifting ring, and a stress rope. One end of the stress rope is connected to the throwable shoe pad, and the other end is connected to the lifting ring, which is connected to the bottom of the pile shoe.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of offshore construction of self-elevating marine operation platforms, and particularly relates to a biomimetic pile shoe for self-elevating marine operation platforms and its usage method. Background Technology

[0002] A jack-up offshore platform is a type of offshore work platform vessel with its own legs. When operating at sea or sheltering from wind, to reduce the swaying of the hull caused by external loads such as wind, waves, tides, and ocean currents, the legs of the jack-up offshore platform are lowered from the hull to the seabed, raising the platform until it is a certain height above the sea surface. Jack-up offshore platforms are now widely used in near-shore oil and gas extraction, seabed geological exploration, and marine engineering assembly. However, when the seabed has weak bearing capacity and the seabed soil is cohesive, the pile shoe, embedded to a certain depth in the seabed, experiences considerable negative suction and viscous forces from the surrounding soil during the retrieval process from the pile shoe. This makes pile extraction difficult, time-consuming, and in extreme cases, impossible to remove. To address the challenges of pile extraction for jack-up offshore platforms under complex marine geological conditions, the design of the pile shoe should minimize extraction resistance to improve the safety and turnover efficiency of the jack-up offshore platform. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and provide a biomimetic pile shoe for a self-elevating marine operation platform, so as to reduce the upward resistance of the pile shoe during its retrieval process and facilitate the smooth progress of the pile shoe retrieval operation.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] A biomimetic pile boot for a self-elevating marine operation platform includes an intelligent high-pressure pile-driving system, a cone-shaped pile boot system, and a throwable boot pad system mounted on the pile legs. The intelligent high-pressure pile-driving system includes a high-pressure water pump located within the pile leg. A main water supply pipe is connected to the pump, and a branch water pipe and an end valve are connected to the branch water pipe. The branch water pipe is connected to a nozzle. The high-pressure water pump is controlled by an intelligent pile-driving control center. The cone-shaped pile boot system includes a pile boot bottom, a pile boot top, and an interior. A water outlet is formed at the bottom of the pile boot. The branch water pipe, end valve, and nozzle are located inside the pile boot, with the nozzle extending beyond the water outlet. The throwable boot pad system includes a throwable boot pad, a lifting ring, and a stress rope. One end of the stress rope is connected to the throwable boot pad, and the other end is connected to the lifting ring, which is connected to the bottom of the pile boot.

[0006] Furthermore, a hook is provided at the bottom of the pile shoe, and the lifting ring cooperates with the hook.

[0007] Furthermore, a limiting plate is welded to the outer edge of the bottom of the pile shoe, and the throwable shoe pad can be inserted into the limiting plate.

[0008] Furthermore, a distributed pile shoe resistance measurement element is installed on the pile leg.

[0009] Furthermore, the bottom of the pile shoe is flat, the top of the pile shoe is lotus-shaped, and the interior of the pile shoe has a hollow structure.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a method of using a biomimetic pile boot for a self-elevating marine work platform. The method of using the aforementioned biomimetic pile boot for a self-elevating marine work platform includes the following steps:

[0011] S1. Process the top of the cone-shaped pile shoe and weld it to the bottom of the pile shoe. Connect the intelligent pile driving control center to the high-pressure water pump through the signal transmission cable. Arrange the main water supply pipe along the inside of the pile leg until it reaches the pile shoe. Install the end branch water pipe, end valve and nozzle inside the pile shoe.

[0012] S2. Install the distributed pile shoe resistance measuring element around the pile leg, weld the limiting plate to the outer edge of the bottom of the pile shoe, cut out the water outlet hole at the position of the nozzle corresponding to the bottom of the pile shoe, install the hook on the designed hole position of the bottom of the pile shoe, and weld the bottom of the pile shoe to the top of the pile shoe.

[0013] S3. Connect the lower end of the stress rope to the throwable insole and the upper end of the stress rope to the lifting ring. Then, use the lifting equipment to hang the lifting ring onto the hook.

[0014] S4. When the self-elevating marine platform is lifting, the legs and the entire pile shoe are gradually inserted into the seabed foundation to the predetermined depth. The self-elevating marine platform carries out marine operations. When the self-elevating marine platform completes the operation and needs to remove the pile, the legs are gradually retracted upwards, and the pile shoe moves the throwable shoe pad upwards. When the throwable shoe pad adheres too tightly to the foundation soil, causing the stress rope to be under excessive stress, the stress rope breaks automatically, and the throwable shoe pad is discarded.

[0015] S5. If the pile extraction resistance of the pile shoe is large as measured by the distributed pile shoe resistance measuring element, it will be difficult for the self-elevating marine operation platform to extract the pile. The intelligent pile flushing control center controls the high-pressure water pump to start and flush the pile shoe. The intelligent pile flushing control center adjusts the opening and closing of the valves at the ends of different directions according to the magnitude of the circumferential pile extraction resistance of the pile shoe measured by the distributed pile shoe resistance measuring element, so that the nozzles in the direction with the greater pile extraction resistance spray high-pressure water flow to flush the pile.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this invention are:

[0017] 1) Compared with the traditional rectangular pile boot, the cone (lotus seedpod) shaped pile boot system provided by the present invention has a near-circular bottom that can provide more efficient support for the pile leg, and its lotus seedpod (cone streamline) top can effectively reduce the resistance encountered when the pile boot breaks through the overlying soil during the upward pulling process.

[0018] 2) The throwable boot pad system provided by the present invention makes it easy to separate from the soil at the bottom of the pile shoe when the pile shoe is pulled up, greatly reducing the negative suction force brought by the soil at the bottom of the pile shoe and reducing the difficulty of pile extraction.

[0019] 3) The designed intelligent high-pressure pile driving system can generate greater pile driving force in areas where pile extraction is difficult, realize intelligent control of pile driving, improve pile driving efficiency, and thus increase pile extraction speed. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a front view of the biomimetic pile boot for the self-elevating marine operation platform of the present invention;

[0021] Figure 2 This is a bottom view of the biomimetic pile boot of the self-elevating marine operation platform of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional view of the disposable boot insole of the present invention.

[0023] In the diagram: 1.1-Bottom of the pile shoe; 1.2-Top of the pile shoe; 1.3-Inside the pile shoe; 1.4-Limiting plate; 1.5-Water outlet; 1.6-Hook; 2.1-Disposable shoe pad; 2.2-Lifting ring; 2.3-Stress rope; 3.1-Intelligent pile driving control center; 3.2-High-pressure water pump; 3.3-Main water pipe; 3.4-End branch water pipe; 3.5-End valve; 3.6-Nozzle; 3.7-Pile shoe resistance measuring element; 4.1-Pile leg; 4.2-Sea surface. Detailed Implementation

[0024] The present invention will be further described below with reference to embodiments. The description of the embodiments below is only for the purpose of helping to understand the present invention. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make several modifications to the present invention without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications also fall within the protection scope of the claims of the present invention. Example 1

[0025] like Figure 1 — Figure 3As shown, this invention relates to a biomimetic pile boot for a self-elevating marine operation platform, comprising an intelligent high-pressure pile-driving system, a cone-shaped pile boot system, and a throwable boot pad system mounted on the pile leg 4.1. The intelligent high-pressure pile-driving system includes a high-pressure water pump 3.2, which is installed in the pile leg 4.1. A main water supply pipe 3.3 is connected to the high-pressure water pump, and a branch water pipe 3.4 and an end valve 3.5 are connected to the main water supply pipe. The branch water pipe 3.4 is connected to a nozzle 3.6. The high-pressure water pump 3.2 is controlled by an intelligent pile-driving control center 3.1. The main water supply pipe 3.3 connects the high-pressure water pump 3.2 and the branch water pipe 3.4, and is used to deliver the high-pressure water generated by the high-pressure water pump 3.2 to the branch water pipe 3.4. The end valves 3.5 are installed in the branch water pipes 3.4, and each end valve 3.5 can control one or more branch water pipes 3.4. The water flow in the pile; the cone-shaped pile shoe system includes a pile shoe bottom 1.1, a pile shoe top 1.2, and a pile shoe interior 1.3. The pile shoe bottom 1.1 has a water outlet hole 1.5. The pile shoe interior 1.3 has a hollow structure, which saves materials and reduces the weight of the pile shoe, while providing space for the arrangement and installation of other equipment, such as the end branch water pipe 3.4, the end valve 3.5, and the nozzle 3.6 located inside the pile shoe interior 1.3, with the nozzle 3.6 extending out of the water outlet hole 1.5; the throwable shoe pad system includes a throwable shoe pad 2.1, a lifting ring 2.2, and a stress rope 2.3. One end of the stress rope 2.3 is connected to the throwable shoe pad 2.1, and the other end of the stress rope 2.3 is connected to the lifting ring 2.2. The lifting ring 2.2 is connected to the pile shoe bottom 1.1. The lifting ring 2.2 and the stress rope 2.3 are used to lift the throwable shoe pad 2.1.

[0026] The disposable boot pad 2.1 described in this solution is a cylindrical pad with a large diameter and a small thickness. Its outer edge dimensions match the dimensions of the bottom 1.1 of the pile boot, allowing it to be inserted into the limiting plate 1.4. The disposable boot pad 2.1 is a lattice-shaped, water-permeable, and breathable environmentally friendly material. Its texture can be soft or hard, and it can be made from organic plant materials such as palm or wood, or recycled waste materials through processes such as weaving or die casting. It can also be made from materials such as plastic, glass fiber, and synthetic rubber through specific processes. The stress rope 2.3 can only withstand a certain degree of tension. During the upward pulling and retrieval process of the pile boot, if the disposable boot pad 2.1 adheres too tightly to the bottom soil, causing excessive stress on the stress rope 2.3, the stress rope 2.3 will automatically break, thus achieving the function of discarding the disposable boot pad 2.1. The display and operation terminals of the intelligent pile driving control center 3.1 are located inside the control compartment of the self-elevating marine operation platform. Technicians can observe and manipulate the pile driving control of the pile shoe in real time through the intelligent pile driving control center 3.1. The distributed pile shoe resistance measuring element 3.7 is a strain gauge installed on the inner side of the pile leg 4.1 around the perimeter, which can be used to measure the magnitude of the resistance encountered during the entire pile shoe driving and extraction process. The intelligent pile driving control center 3.1 can automatically adjust the start and stop of the high-pressure water pump 3.2 and the magnitude of the high-pressure water flow based on the extraction resistance measured by the distributed pile shoe resistance measuring element 3.7. The intelligent pile driving control center 3.1 can also adjust the opening and closing of the end valves 3.5 in different directions based on the magnitude of the circumferential extraction resistance of the pile shoe measured by the distributed pile shoe resistance measuring element 3.7, so as to achieve the effect of controlling the pressure of the high-pressure water flow sprayed from the nozzles 3.6 in different directions.

[0027] Furthermore, a hook 1.6 is provided at the bottom 1.1 of the pile shoe, and a lifting ring 2.2 cooperates with the hook 1.6. The lifting ring 2.2 is a stainless steel ring, which can be hung into the hook 1.6 by a lifting tool, so as to connect the bottom of the pile shoe with the throwable shoe pad through the hook, the lifting ring and the stress rope.

[0028] Furthermore, a limiting plate 1.4 is welded to the outer edge of the bottom 1.1 of the pile shoe, and the throwable shoe pad 2.1 can be inserted into the limiting plate 1.4 to limit the sliding of the throwable shoe pad during the descent of the pile shoe.

[0029] Furthermore, a distributed pile shoe resistance measuring element 3.7 is provided on the pile leg 4.1, which can be used to measure the magnitude of the resistance encountered during the entire pile shoe insertion and extraction process.

[0030] Furthermore, the bottom 1.1 of the pile shoe is flat to provide stable support for the pile shoe, the top 1.2 of the pile shoe is lotus-shaped to reduce the resistance encountered by the pile shoe when breaking through the backfill soil during the upward pulling process, and the interior 1.3 of the pile shoe has a hollow structure to reduce its weight and save materials. Example 2

[0031] The present invention discloses a method for using a biomimetic pile boot for a self-elevating marine operation platform. The method includes the following steps: S1, processing the cone-shaped top 1.2 of the pile boot and welding it to the bottom 1.1 of the pile boot; connecting the intelligent pile driving control center 3.1 to the high-pressure water pump 3.2 via a signal transmission cable; arranging the main water supply pipe 3.3 along the inside of the pile leg 4.1 up to the pile boot; and installing the end branch water pipe 3.4, the end valve 3.5, and the nozzle 3.6 inside the pile boot 1.3.

[0032] S2. Install the distributed pile shoe resistance measuring element 3.7 around the pile leg 4.1, weld the limiting plate 1.4 to the outer edge of the pile shoe bottom 1.1, cut out the water outlet hole 1.5 at the position of the nozzle 3.6 corresponding to the pile shoe bottom 1.1, install the hook 1.6 on the designed hole position of the pile shoe bottom 1.1, and weld the pile shoe bottom 1.1 to the pile shoe top 1.2.

[0033] S3. Connect the lower end of the stress rope 2.3 to the throwable insole 2.1, and the upper end of the stress rope 2.3 to the lifting ring 2.2. Then, use the lifting equipment to hang the lifting ring 2.2 into the hook 1.6.

[0034] S4. When the self-elevating offshore platform is lifting, the leg 4.1, along with the entire pile shoe, extends into the sea surface 4.2 and gradually inserts into the seabed foundation to the predetermined depth. The self-elevating offshore platform carries out offshore operations. When the self-elevating offshore platform completes its operations and needs to remove the pile, the leg 4.1 gradually retracts upwards, and the pile shoe moves the throwable shoe pad 2.1 upwards. When the throwable shoe pad 2.1 adheres too tightly to the foundation soil, causing the stress rope 2.3 to be under excessive stress, the stress rope 2.3 automatically breaks, and the throwable shoe pad 2.1 is discarded.

[0035] S5. If the pile extraction resistance of the pile shoe is large as measured by the distributed pile shoe resistance measuring element 3.7, making it difficult for the self-elevating marine operation platform to extract the pile, the intelligent pile driving control center 3.1 controls the high-pressure water pump 3.2 to start and drive the pile shoe. Based on the magnitude of the circumferential pile extraction resistance of the pile shoe measured by the distributed pile shoe resistance measuring element 3.7, the intelligent pile driving control center 3.1 adjusts the opening and closing of the end valves 3.5 in different directions to achieve the effect of spraying higher pressure water flow from the nozzles 3.6 in the direction of greater pile extraction resistance, thereby improving the pile driving efficiency.

[0036] The above specific embodiments are used to explain and illustrate the present invention, but not to limit the present invention. Any modifications and changes made to the present invention within the spirit and scope of the claims shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A biomimetic pile boot for a self-elevating marine work platform, characterized in that: The system includes an intelligent high-pressure pile driving system, a cone-shaped pile shoe system, and a throwable shoe pad system, all mounted on the pile leg (4.1). The intelligent high-pressure pile driving system includes a high-pressure water pump (3.2), which is located in the pile leg (4.1). The high-pressure water pump is connected to a main water supply pipe (3.3), and the main water supply pipe is connected to a branch water pipe (3.4) and an end valve (3.5). The branch water pipe (3.4) is connected to a nozzle (3.6). The high-pressure water pump (3.2) is controlled by the intelligent pile driving control center (3.1). The cone-shaped pile shoe system includes a pile shoe bottom (1.1) and a pile shoe top (1.2). 2) The pile shoe is located inside (1.3), and the bottom (1.1) of the pile shoe has a water outlet (1.5). The end branch water pipe (3.4), the end valve (3.5) and the nozzle (3.6) are located inside the pile shoe (1.3), and the nozzle (3.6) extends out of the water outlet (1.5). The throwable shoe pad system includes a throwable shoe pad (2.1), a lifting ring (2.2) and a stress rope (2.3). One end of the stress rope (2.3) is connected to the throwable shoe pad (2.1), and the other end of the stress rope (2.3) is connected to the lifting ring (2.2). The lifting ring (2.2) is connected to the bottom (1.1) of the pile shoe.

2. The biomimetic pile boot for a self-elevating marine work platform as described in claim 1, characterized in that... A hook (1.6) is provided under the bottom (1.1) of the pile shoe, and the lifting ring (2.2) cooperates with the hook (1.6).

3. The biomimetic pile boot for a self-elevating marine work platform as described in claim 1, characterized in that... A limiting plate (1.4) is welded to the outer edge of the bottom (1.1) of the pile shoe, and the throwable shoe pad (2.1) can be inserted into the limiting plate (1.4).

4. The biomimetic pile boot for a self-elevating marine work platform as described in claim 1, characterized in that... Distributed pile shoe resistance measurement elements (3.7) are installed on the pile leg (4.1).

5. The biomimetic pile boot for a self-elevating marine work platform as described in claim 1, characterized in that... The bottom (1.1) of the pile shoe is flat, the top (1.2) of the pile shoe is lotus-shaped, and the interior (1.3) of the pile shoe is hollow.

6. A method of using a biomimetic pile boot for a self-elevating marine work platform, comprising using the biomimetic pile boot for a self-elevating marine work platform as described in claim 1, characterized in that... Includes the following steps: S1. Process the top of the cone-shaped pile shoe (1.2) and weld it to the bottom of the pile shoe (1.1). Connect the intelligent pile driving control center (3.1) to the high-pressure water pump (3.2) through the signal transmission cable. Arrange the main water supply pipe (3.3) along the inside of the pile leg (4.1) until it reaches the pile shoe. Install the end branch water pipe (3.4), end valve (3.5) and nozzle (3.6) inside the pile shoe (1.3). S2. Install the distributed pile shoe resistance measuring element (3.7) around the pile leg (4.1), weld the limiting plate (1.4) to the outer edge of the pile shoe bottom (1.1), cut out the water outlet hole (1.5) at the position of the nozzle (3.6) corresponding to the pile shoe bottom (1.1), install the hook (1.6) on the designed hole position of the pile shoe bottom (1.1), and weld the pile shoe bottom (1.1) to the pile shoe top (1.2); S3. Connect the lower end of the stress rope (2.3) to the throwable insole (2.1) and the upper end of the stress rope (2.3) to the lifting ring (2.2). Then, use the lifting equipment to hang the lifting ring (2.2) into the hook (1.6). S4. When the self-elevating marine platform is lifting, the leg (4.1) and the entire pile shoe are gradually inserted into the seabed foundation to the predetermined depth. The self-elevating marine platform carries out marine operations. When the self-elevating marine platform needs to remove the pile after the operation is completed, the leg (4.1) is gradually retracted upwards, and the pile shoe drives the throwable shoe pad (2.1) to move upwards. When the throwable shoe pad (2.1) adheres too tightly to the foundation soil, causing the stress rope (2.3) to be under too much force, the stress rope (2.3) will automatically break, and the throwable shoe pad (2.1) will be discarded. S5. If the pile extraction resistance of the pile shoe is large as measured by the distributed pile shoe resistance measuring element (3.7), it will be difficult for the self-elevating marine operation platform to extract the pile. The intelligent pile driving control center (3.1) controls the high-pressure water pump (3.2) to start and drive the pile shoe. The intelligent pile driving control center (3.1) adjusts the opening and closing of the end valves (3.5) in different directions according to the magnitude of the circumferential pile extraction resistance of the pile shoe measured by the distributed pile shoe resistance measuring element (3.7), so that the nozzle (3.6) in the direction with the greater pile extraction resistance sprays high-pressure water flow to drive the pile.

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