Multifunctional integrated system for bilge, ballasting and heeling prevention of ship

Abstract

The invention discloses a bilge, ballast and heeling prevention multifunctional integrated system for a ship. The bilge, ballast and heeling prevention multifunctional integrated system comprises two main pipes and three main pumps, the two header pipes extend along the length direction of the ship; the head parts and the tail parts of the two main pipes are respectively communicated to form an annular pipeline; a valve for controlling opening and closing is arranged on the main pipe; the three general pumps are respectively connected to the general pipe through communicating pipes, two general pumps are arranged in the cabin, and the other general pump is arranged in the head equipment cabin; a check valve is arranged on the bilge water branch pipe; the main pipe is further connected with a seawater main pipe and a drainage pipe used for discharging water to the outboard. According to the invention, the cost is obviously reduced, and the equipment utilization rate and energy efficiency are maximized; redundancy is formed, and the reliability of the system is enhanced; and the heeling prevention capability is greatly improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of marine technology, and in particular to a multifunctional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast and anti-roll. Background Technology

[0002] Open-top multipurpose vessels face two special conditions during navigation and operation due to the lack of hatch covers in their cargo holds and the fact that they are usually equipped with heavy-duty cranes: First, the cargo hold area is directly exposed, making it susceptible to large amounts of seawater from flooding due to heavy rain or waves on the deck, which places extremely high demands on the rapid removal of bilge water; Second, the heavy-duty cranes generate significant dynamic heeling moments when loading and unloading cargo, posing a serious challenge to the safety of the vessel.

[0003] In response to the above operating conditions, the ship design field usually adopts a technical solution of independently set ballast water system, cargo hold bilge water system, and anti-roll system. That is, the ballast water system, cargo hold bilge water system, and anti-roll system are three independent systems.

[0004] The specific details of these three independent systems are as follows: 1. Ballast Water System. Traditional ballast water systems primarily utilize the coordination of ballast pumps, pipelines, and valves to transfer ballast water between different ballast tanks to adjust the ship's trim, list, and draft. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the ballast water system includes ballast water pumps 51, a ballast water main pipe 52, ballast water branch pipes 53, valves 54, and a control system. Two ballast water pumps 51 are located in the engine room; two ballast water main pipes 52 are present; ballast water branch pipes 53 are connected to the ballast water main pipe 52 and extend from the ballast tank 55 to the ballast water main pipe. A pipe tunnel 56 is located midships to accommodate and install pipes and valves, occupying a significant amount of hull space. A seawater main pipe 50 is connected to the ballast water main pipe.

[0005] 2. Cargo Hold Bulch Water System. The cargo hold bilch water system is responsible for draining water accumulated inside the cargo hold (such as leaked water, condensate, etc.) overboard. Figure 2 As shown, the cargo hold bilge water system includes two bilge pumps 57, a bilge water main 58, and bilge water branch pipes 59. There are two bilge pumps 57, both located in the engine room. There is one bilge water main 58. One end of the bilge water branch pipe 59 is located inside the cargo hold septic tank 60, and the other end is connected to the bilge water main 58. A remote control valve 61 is installed on the bilge water branch pipe.

[0006] 3. Anti-listening system. Generally, one or more pairs of ballast tanks on either side of the ship serve as anti-listening tanks. Independent anti-listening pumps, through the coordination of pipelines and valves, are used to adjust the ballast water on both sides, balancing the ship's dynamic heeling moment. For example... Figure 3As shown, the anti-roll system includes an anti-roll pump 62, an anti-roll main pipe 63, ballast water branch pipes 64, and valves 65. There is one anti-roll pump 62, two anti-roll main pipes 63, and multiple valves 65. A side ballast tank is used as the anti-roll tank 66. One end of the ballast water branch pipe is located inside the anti-roll tank, and the other end is connected to the anti-roll main pipe.

[0007] The existing technical solutions have the following technical problems: 1. High cost and heavy empty ship weight.

[0008] The three systems (ballast, bilge, and anti-listening) each require their own independent piping, pumps, valves, and control units, resulting in a large number of devices and a complex piping layout. The extensive use of pipes, valves, and pumps significantly increases material costs and installation time. Piping tunnels extending across the entire length of the vessel are necessary to house the piping and valves for these three systems, occupying valuable hull space, increasing the vessel's lightweight, and impacting the utilization rate of cargo space and economic efficiency.

[0009] 2. Limited functionality and low system utilization.

[0010] Each system is equipped with a separate pump, resulting in high initial investment. The ballast water system is only used when adjusting the ship's buoyancy; the bilge system is used when the cargo holds are flooded; and the anti-roll system is used when heavy lifting is used for loading cargo at the dock. Each system's pump set serves only a single function, and the ballast pumps, bilge pumps, and anti-roll pumps are idle for long periods of time when not in their primary operating conditions, leading to high initial investment and low overall utilization rate.

[0011] 3. Low reliability, with a risk of single point of failure.

[0012] Current designs typically use a single main manifold for cargo hold bilge water systems, posing a single point of failure risk. If this main manifold fails due to blockage or damage, the drainage capacity will be completely lost, failing to meet the safety requirements for open-top ships to handle large amounts of water ingress. Furthermore, this design does not comply with the mandatory requirement of major classification societies that open-top ships must be equipped with two independent bilge water mains.

[0013] Traditional anti-tumble systems typically rely on a single anti-tumble pump. If this pump fails, the entire anti-tumble function will be lost, posing a serious safety risk during critical operations such as heavy lifting.

[0014] The pumps for the ballast water system and bilge system are usually located in the engine room. If the engine room floods or a fire causes the main power supply to fail, these systems may be paralyzed at the same time, resulting in the loss of critical ship stability control and drainage capabilities.

[0015] 4. Anti-roll capability is limited.

[0016] The ability to prevent roll is limited by the volume of the anti-roll compartment and the displacement of the roll pump.

[0017] Ballast tank capacity limitations: Anti-heeling capability directly depends on the available ballast water volume. In traditional designs, the volume of the side ballast tanks is limited by the ship's dimensions and hull form. Simultaneously, the side tanks must maintain a certain water volume to maintain the ship's stability. The limited volume of the side ballast tanks may not provide sufficient righting moment, resulting in insufficient anti-heeling capability.

[0018] Limitations of Anti-Heel Pumps: When a ship is in rough seas or undergoing heavy lifting operations, the heel moment is dynamically changing. The pump's displacement determines the rate at which water is transferred, and it must be large enough to meet the peak demand for the righting moment. Otherwise, when the ship has already begun to heel, the pump cannot quickly adjust the water flow, leading to an excessive heel angle. Traditional anti-heel pumps are mostly constant-speed pumps. When minor adjustments are needed, the pump can only operate at maximum displacement for a short time before stopping, resulting in frequent system start-stops, inaccurate control, large water flow impacts, and high energy consumption. This can cause reverse heeling (overshoot), significantly reducing the system's effectiveness in rough seas and potentially exacerbating the ship's rolling.

[0019] The response speed and control accuracy of anti-tilt systems are limited by the displacement of the dedicated pump and its control method. The limited displacement of traditional constant-speed pumps and the "start-stop" control strategy make it difficult to meet the requirements of rapid, stable, and precise dynamic response for tilt control in heavy lifting operations. Summary of the Invention

[0020] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects in the existing technology, the present invention provides a multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast and anti-roll.

[0021] The present invention solves the above-mentioned technical problems through the following technical solution: A multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-listening includes a ballast tank and bilge water branch pipes for cargo hold drainage. The ballast tank includes an anti-listening compartment, and ballast water branch pipes are installed within the ballast tank. The system includes two main pipes and three main pumps. Both main pipes extend along the length of the ship. The bow and stern sections of the two main pipes are connected to form a loop. Valves for controlling opening and closing are installed on the main pipes. The three main pumps are connected to the main pipes via connecting pipes, with two main pumps located in the engine room and one main pump located in the bow equipment compartment. The ballast water branch pipe and bilge water branch pipe located on the port side of the ship are connected to the main pipe located on the port side; the ballast water branch pipe and bilge water branch pipe located on the starboard side of the ship are connected to the main pipe located on the starboard side; the bilge water branch pipe is equipped with a check valve; the main pipe is also connected to a seawater main pipe and a drain pipe for draining water overboard; by controlling the opening and closing of the valves, the main pump can adjust the ballast water in the anti-roll tank to the left and right through the connecting pipe, the main pump can inject water into the ballast tank through the seawater main pipe, and the main pump can drain the bilge water and ballast water in the cargo hold through the drain pipe.

[0022] Furthermore, two check valves are installed on the bilge water branch pipe.

[0023] Furthermore, the main pump located in the bow equipment compartment is connected to an emergency power supply.

[0024] Furthermore, the valves include isolation valves respectively located on the two main pipes, which can divide the multi-functional integrated system for the ship's bilge, ballast and anti-roll into two independently operable sections: the bow and the stern.

[0025] Furthermore, after the isolation valve is closed, two or three main pumps can operate in parallel, simultaneously diverting ballast water from one side of the ship to the other; or, the faulty section of the system can be isolated.

[0026] Furthermore, the ballast tanks include side ballast tanks located on both sides of the ship, and also include a mid-bottom ballast tank; the tunnel is eliminated, and the mid-bottom ballast tank is located in the original tunnel position; when the mid-bottom ballast tank is filled with ballast water, it can provide the ship with a stable centering height that meets the safety regulations, thereby allowing the side ballast tanks on both sides of the ship to be used exclusively for adjusting the amount of water used to prevent heeling.

[0027] Furthermore, the main pump adopts a variable frequency drive; the multi-functional integrated system for the ship's bilge, ballast, and anti-roll also includes a control module; the control module receives the roll signal from the ship's inclinometer, and can, based on the signal and preset values ​​or data from the onboard computer, adjust the number of main pumps in use and the speed of the main pumps, as well as control the valves, to form a closed-loop control and achieve automatic anti-roll.

[0028] Furthermore, the ballast water branch pipe is equipped with a remote control valve, the valve body of which is located inside the ballast tank; the control component of the remote control valve is located in the dry compartment adjacent to the ballast tank.

[0029] Furthermore, the control components of the remote control valve control the movement of the valve body through hydraulic lines.

[0030] Furthermore, the main pump located in the engine room and the main pump located in the bow equipment room are respectively connected to the seawater main pipe and the drainage pipe.

[0031] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: This invention achieves high integration and simplification, significantly reducing costs. Replacing the existing design's "4 main pipes and 5 dedicated pumps" with "2 main pipes and 3 general-purpose pumps" drastically reduces the number of pipes, valves, pumps, and other equipment, lowering system material procurement costs, installation complexity, and labor consumption, while also simplifying subsequent maintenance costs. Furthermore, the regional arrangement of remote-controlled valve components eliminates reliance on a continuous pipeline throughout the ship, improving the utilization rate of ship cabin space.

[0032] This invention maximizes equipment utilization and energy efficiency. The three main pumps can switch tasks according to different ship operating conditions (ballast, drainage, and anti-roll). Flexible task allocation via valve switching enables functional reuse of the pump set, solving the problem of long-term idleness of dedicated pumps. The main pumps utilize variable frequency drive technology, allowing for continuous, stepless, and precise adjustment of their displacement based on real-time needs (e.g., minor roll angle correction). This on-demand energy supply method avoids the energy losses caused by throttling or frequent start-stop operations of traditional fixed-speed pumps, thus achieving significant energy savings.

[0033] This invention enables redundancy, enhancing system reliability. It significantly improves reliability by reducing the total number of pumps from five to three while simultaneously enhancing redundancy and backup capabilities. Existing designs typically have at most one dedicated backup pump per pump (one-to-one backup), while this system, through functional integration, provides each main pump with two backup pumps (one-to-two backup), achieving higher reliability while reducing the number of devices. Placing one of the main pumps in the bow equipment compartment and connecting it to emergency power is an innovative distributed layout. This design ensures that even in the worst-case scenario of complete engine room failure due to flooding, fire, or main power failure, the ship can still maintain crucial stability control and emergency drainage capabilities using the bow pump, greatly improving survivability. The bilge, ballast, and anti-listening functions are all based on dual independent manifolds. Furthermore, through the rational configuration of isolation valves, the entire system can be flexibly divided into two functionally complete independent zones: bow and stern. This design not only meets the basic redundancy requirements of classification society standards for open bilge systems, but also ensures that the system can maintain critical functions through the remaining pathways even if any main pipe or section fails due to a malfunction. Its redundancy reliability and survivability are far superior to conventional designs.

[0034] This invention significantly increases anti-heeling capability. The addition of mid-bottom ballast tanks increases bottom ballast, lowers the ship's center of gravity, and provides ample inherent stability (GM). This frees the side ballast tanks from their "stability reserve" function, allowing them to operate at lower base water levels. This converts most of the side tank volume into "effective anti-heeling volume" that can be dynamically adjusted, significantly increasing the maximum anti-heeling righting moment. By controlling the opening and closing of valves to isolate the pipelines, parallel operation of two or three main pumps can be achieved, providing a much larger displacement than a traditional single anti-heeling pump, ensuring the system can quickly respond to drastic changes in heeling moment. Variable frequency control enables a shift from a single start-stop mode to a stepless adjustment mode, making the anti-heeling process smoother and more precise, avoiding overshoot oscillations, and greatly improving ship comfort and operational safety. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1This is a schematic diagram of an existing ballast water system.

[0036] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of an existing cargo hold bilge water system.

[0037] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of an existing anti-roll system.

[0038] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the anti-rolling function of a ship when it lists to port, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the signal flow when implementing the anti-tilt function in a preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The core technical problem to be solved by this invention is: how to provide an innovative piping system design that can meet the extreme requirements of open multipurpose vessels for bilge drainage capacity and anti-heeling performance, while overcoming the inherent defects of existing discrete systems such as equipment redundancy, low utilization rate, poor reliability and limited performance.

[0042] The purpose of this invention is to provide a multi-functional integrated system for bilge, ballast, and anti-rolling. Through innovation in the piping system, it solves the problems of redundancy and complexity, low equipment utilization, poor reliability, and limited performance of traditional independent systems, and especially meets the special requirements of open-top heavy-lift multipurpose vessels for cargo hold drainage capacity and anti-rolling performance.

[0043] The present invention will be described more clearly and completely below with reference to a preferred embodiment and the accompanying drawings.

[0044] like Figure 4 As shown, a multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast and anti-heeling includes a ballast tank and a bilge water branch pipe 12 for cargo hold drainage, with a ballast water branch pipe 11 installed inside the ballast tank.

[0045] The vessel includes an engine room 31, a cargo hold, and a bow equipment compartment 32; the cargo hold area 33 is equipped with ballast tanks. The ballast tanks include anti-listening tanks 41, and also include side ballast tanks located on both sides of the vessel. In this embodiment, the side ballast tanks are the anti-listening tanks 41. The side ballast tanks are not labeled in the accompanying drawings. Anti-listening tanks are located on both the port and starboard sides of the vessel. The ballast tanks also include bottom ballast tanks 43.

[0046] The multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-roll includes two main pipes 10 and three main pumps.

[0047] Both main pipes 10 extend along the length of the ship; the bow and stern of the two main pipes are connected to form a loop; valves for controlling opening and closing are provided on the main pipes.

[0048] Three main pumps are connected to the main pipeline via connecting pipe 23. Two main pumps 21 are located in the engine room, and one main pump 22 is located in the bow equipment room. The main pump 22 located in the bow equipment room is connected to an emergency power supply. The main pumps are driven by frequency converters.

[0049] Ballast water branch pipes and bilge water branch pipes located on the port side of the ship are connected to the main pipe located on the port side; ballast water branch pipes and bilge water branch pipes located on the starboard side of the ship are connected to the main pipe located on the starboard side.

[0050] A check valve 13 is installed on the bilge water branch pipe 12. One end of the bilge water branch pipe is connected to the cargo hold septic tank 18, and the other end is connected to the main pipe 10. Two check valves are installed on the bilge water branch pipe: one check valve is located at the end of the bilge water branch pipe inside the cargo hold septic tank, and the other check valve is located on the bilge water branch pipe outside the cargo hold septic tank. The check valves prevent water from the ballast tanks from entering the cargo hold.

[0051] Ballast water branch pipe 11 is equipped with a remote control valve 17. The valve body of the remote control valve is located inside the ballast tank. The control component of the remote control valve is located in the dry compartment adjacent to the ballast tank. The valve body of the remote control valve is submerged in the water tank, and the control component of the remote control valve is arranged in the dry compartment. The control component of the remote control valve controls the movement of the valve body through hydraulic lines.

[0052] The main pipe 10 is also connected to a seawater main pipe 14 and a drain pipe 15 for discharging water overboard. The main pump located in the engine room and the main pump located in the bow equipment room are respectively connected to the seawater main pipe and the drain pipe. The seawater main pipe of the main pump located in the bow equipment room is a pipeline connected to the bow seawater tank.

[0053] By controlling the opening and closing of the valves, the main pump can adjust the ballast water in the anti-roll tank left and right through the connecting pipe 23, the main pump can inject water into the ballast tank through the seawater main pipe 14, and the main pump can discharge the bilge water and ballast water of the cargo hold through the drain pipe 15.

[0054] By controlling the opening and closing of the valves, the functions of the anti-roll system, the ballast water system, and the cargo hold bilge water system are respectively realized.

[0055] The main pump located in the engine room and bow equipment room can adjust the ballast water in the anti-roll tank left and right through the connecting pipe in the engine room or bow equipment room, thereby realizing the function of the anti-roll system.

[0056] The main pump located in the engine room and the bow equipment room can inject water into the ballast tanks through the seawater main pipes located at the bow and stern. The main pump can also discharge the ballast water through the drain pipe, thus realizing the function of the ballast water system.

[0057] The main pump can drain the bilge water from the cargo hold through the drain pipe, thus realizing the function of the cargo hold bilge water system.

[0058] The valves include isolation valves 16 respectively installed on two main pipes, which can divide the multi-functional integrated system for the ship's bilge, ballast and anti-roll into two independently working sections, the bow and the stern.

[0059] After the isolation valve is closed, two or three main pumps can operate in parallel, simultaneously diverting ballast water from one side of the ship to the other; or, the section of the system that is malfunctioning can be isolated.

[0060] The ballast tank also includes a mid-bottom ballast tank 42; the tunnel is eliminated, and the mid-bottom ballast tank is located in the original tunnel position; when the mid-bottom ballast tank is filled with ballast water, it can provide the ship with a stable center height that meets the safety regulations, so that the side ballast tanks on both sides of the ship can be used exclusively for the allocation of anti-heeling water volume.

[0061] The multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-roll also includes a control module. This control module receives roll signals from the ship's inclinometer and, based on these signals and preset values ​​or data from the onboard computer, can form a closed-loop control system by adjusting the number and speed of the main pumps and controlling the valves to achieve automatic anti-roll.

[0062] In this design, the pipelines are arranged within the ballast tanks, with thickened walls for corrosion protection. Eliminating the pipework tunnels and installing mid-to-bottom ballast tanks increases the flexibility of ballast volume allocation.

[0063] This system operates in three modes: anti-roll mode, ballast water mode, and bilge water mode.

[0064] Ballast water operation includes filling ballast tanks with water and draining water from ballast tanks. When filling ballast tanks with water is required, the main pump fills the tanks with water through the seawater main. When draining water from ballast tanks is required, the main pump drains water overboard through the drain pipe.

[0065] Bulch water mode is used to drain water (such as leaked water, condensate, etc.) from inside the cargo hold overboard. In bilch water mode, the main pump drains the bilge water in the cargo hold sump through the drain pipe overboard.

[0066] In anti-roll mode, the main pump located in the engine room adjusts the ballast water in the anti-roll tank left and right through the connecting pipe located in the engine room; the main pump located in the bow equipment room adjusts the ballast water in the anti-roll tank left and right through the connecting pipe located in the bow equipment room.

[0067] In anti-roll mode, the number of pumps used and the displacement of each pump are adjusted by the ship's loading computer based on the values ​​of the inclinometer.

[0068] Schematic diagram of the anti-heeling mode when the ship heels to port: When the ship heels to port, the path of ballast water diversion from port to starboard is as follows: Figure 5 The flow direction is shown in the anti-tilt mode. By closing the isolation valve 16 on the main pipe, the system is divided into two independently working sections (i.e., the head working section and the tail working section), which can enable the three main pumps to simultaneously transfer the ballast water from the left to the right. Figure 5 In the middle, isolation valve 16 is in the closed state. Figure 5 In the image, the arrow indicates the direction of ballast water flow.

[0069] See control in anti-roll mode Figure 6 The control signal flow shown is for the anti-tilt mode.

[0070] 1. Sensing and signal input layer.

[0071] Ship inclinometer: Real-time detection of the ship's heel angle and heel rate (i.e., the rate of change of heel) and conversion of this physical quantity into an electrical signal.

[0072] Loading computer (providing feedforward signals): Based on the upcoming lifting operation plan (such as cargo weight, boom slewing radius and angle), it pre-calculates the expected tilting moment and sends this data to the control system.

[0073] 2. Decision-making and processing layer (control system).

[0074] Signal reception and fusion: Receives real-time feedback signals from the inclinometer and feedforward signals from the onboard computer.

[0075] Control logic decision: a. Required total displacement calculation: Based on the current roll angle, roll angular velocity and feedforward information, the total ballast water flow (displacement) required to offset the roll is calculated according to the built-in control algorithm (such as PID controller or more advanced intelligent control algorithm).

[0076] b. Pump Activation Decision: Compare the calculated total discharge capacity with the rated discharge capacity of each individual pump to dynamically determine how many pumps need to be activated. When the required displacement is low (such as in fine-tuning conditions), only one pump is started.

[0077] When the required displacement exceeds the capacity of a single pump, a second pump is automatically started to operate in parallel mode.

[0078] In emergency situations requiring peak displacement (such as rapidly suppressing large-angle tilt), three pumps are activated simultaneously to provide maximum flow.

[0079] c. Valve status decision: Based on the tilt direction (left or right) and the pump activation scheme, determine which remote control valves and isolation valves need to be opened or closed in order to construct the correct ballast water transfer path.

[0080] 3. Execution and Output Layer: Control signal output: The control system sends specific instructions to each actuator through control signal lines (which can be wired networks or bus systems).

[0081] The variable frequency pump performs the following: it receives speed commands and precisely adjusts its operating speed, thereby providing stepless displacement adjustment from zero to the rated value.

[0082] Valve execution: Receives open / close or opening degree commands to execute pipeline on / off, flow direction control, and system zone isolation.

[0083] 4. Controlled object and environment: Ship attitude: Successful allocation of ballast water alters the ship's buoyancy distribution, generating a righting moment, thereby reducing the heel angle.

[0084] Closed-loop feedback: Changes in the ship's attitude are detected again by the inclinometer, forming a closed-loop control until the roll angle is stabilized within the allowable range.

[0085] The multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-rolling of the present invention has the following characteristics: 1. System function integration and piping structure.

[0086] The system utilizes a unified piping network to perform ballast loading, cargo hold bilge water drainage, and anti-listening functions. The system primarily consists of two main pipes, with valves strategically placed along this network to allow for switching between different functions.

[0087] 2. Configuration and layout of the main pump.

[0088] The system is equipped with three main pumps, two of which are located in the ship's engine room and the other in the bow equipment compartment. The bow pump is connected to the ship's emergency power system.

[0089] 3. Valve logic control and system segmentation.

[0090] Isolation valves are installed at key nodes of the main pipeline. By controlling the opening and closing of these isolation valves, at least one of the following functions can be achieved: dividing the system into two independently operable sections; enabling two or three main pumps to operate in parallel; and isolating the section of the system that has experienced a fault.

[0091] 4. Optimized layout and stability design of ballast compartments.

[0092] The vessel is equipped with a mid-bottom ballast tank, the capacity of which is designed to provide the vessel with a mesial height (GM) that meets safety regulations when filled with ballast water. This allows the side ballast tanks on both sides of the vessel to operate while maintaining a lower reference water level, so that most of their volume can be dedicated to the allocation of anti-heeling water.

[0093] 5. Automatic control methods for the system.

[0094] The main pump uses a variable frequency drive. The system also includes a control module that receives the roll signal from the ship's inclinometer and, based on this signal and preset values ​​or data from the onboard computer, adjusts the number of pumps in use and the speed of the variable frequency pumps, as well as controls relevant valves, to form a closed-loop control and achieve automatic anti-roll function.

[0095] 6. Installation method of remote control valve.

[0096] The system includes a remote control valve located inside the ballast tank. The valve body of the remote control valve is submerged and fixed inside the ballast tank, while the control component (valve head) of the remote control valve is arranged in a dry compartment adjacent to the ballast tank.

[0097] The multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-rolling of the present invention has the following advantages compared with the prior art: 1. High integration and simplification, resulting in significantly reduced costs.

[0098] The existing design of "4 main pipes and 5 dedicated pumps" is replaced with "2 main pipes and 3 general-purpose pumps", which significantly reduces the number of pipes, valves, pumps and other equipment.

[0099] The integrated design of this system reduces the cost of material procurement, installation complexity and labor time, while simplifying the later maintenance costs.

[0100] By arranging the remote-controlled valve components in different zones, the reliance on pipes running throughout the entire ship is eliminated, thereby improving the utilization rate of the ship's cabin space.

[0101] 2. Maximize equipment utilization and energy efficiency.

[0102] The three main pumps can switch tasks according to different ship operating conditions (ballast, drainage, and anti-listening). By flexibly allocating tasks through valve switching, the pump set's functions are reused, solving the problem of long-term idleness of dedicated pump equipment.

[0103] The main pump uses variable frequency drive technology, and its displacement can be continuously and steplessly adjusted precisely according to real-time needs (such as minute tilt angle corrections). This on-demand energy supply method avoids the energy losses caused by traditional fixed-speed pumps through throttling or frequent start-stop, thus achieving significant energy-saving effects.

[0104] 3. Create redundancy to enhance system reliability.

[0105] Reliability is significantly improved. While the total number of pump units is reduced from 5 to 3, the redundancy and backup capacity are enhanced. Under the existing design, each pump has at most one dedicated backup pump (one-to-one backup), while this system, through functional integration, enables any main pump to have two backup pumps (one-to-two backup), thereby achieving higher reliability while reducing the number of devices.

[0106] Placing one of the main pumps in the bow equipment compartment and connecting it to the emergency power supply is an innovative distributed layout. This design ensures that even in the worst-case scenario where the engine room is completely paralyzed due to flooding, fire, or main power failure, the ship can still maintain crucial stability control and emergency drainage capabilities by relying on the bow pump, greatly enhancing the ship's survivability.

[0107] This design establishes the bilge, ballast, and anti-listening functions on a foundation of dual independent manifolds. Furthermore, through the strategically configured isolation valves, the entire system can be flexibly divided into two fully functional independent zones, one at the bow and one at the stern. This design not only meets the basic redundancy requirements of classification society regulations for open-hull bilge systems, but also ensures that even if any manifold or zone fails, the system can still maintain critical functions through remaining pathways. Its redundancy reliability and survivability far exceed those of conventional designs.

[0108] 4. Significantly increased anti-roll capability.

[0109] The addition of mid-bottom ballast tanks increases bottom ballast, lowers the ship's center of gravity, and provides ample inherent stability (GM). This frees the side ballast tanks from their "stability reserve" function, allowing them to operate at lower base water levels. Consequently, most of the side tank volume is converted into "effective anti-heeling volume" that can be dynamically allocated, significantly increasing the maximum anti-heeling righting moment.

[0110] By controlling the opening and closing of valves, pipeline isolation can be achieved, enabling the parallel operation of two or three main pumps. This provides a much larger displacement than traditional single anti-tilt pumps, ensuring that the system can quickly respond to drastic changes in tilting moment.

[0111] Variable frequency control has transformed from a single start-stop mode to a stepless adjustment mode, making the anti-roll process smoother and more precise, avoiding overshoot oscillation, and greatly improving the comfort and operational safety of the vessel.

[0112] While specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, those skilled in the art should understand that these are merely illustrative examples, and the scope of protection of the present invention is defined by the appended claims. Those skilled in the art can make various changes or modifications to these embodiments without departing from the principles and essence of the present invention, but all such changes and modifications fall within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-listening, comprising a ballast tank and bilge water branch pipes for cargo hold drainage, the ballast tank including an anti-listening tank, and the ballast water branch pipes being installed within the ballast tank; characterized in that, It includes two main pipes and three main pumps; both main pipes extend along the length of the ship; the bow and stern of the two main pipes are connected to form a loop; valves for controlling the opening and closing of the main pipes are installed; the three main pumps are connected to the main pipes through connecting pipes, of which two main pumps are located in the engine room and one main pump is located in the bow equipment room; ballast water branch pipes and bilge water branch pipes located on the port side of the ship are connected to the main pipes located on the port side; ballast water branch pipes and bilge water branch pipes located on the starboard side of the ship are connected to the main pipes located on the starboard side; check valves are installed on the bilge water branch pipes; the main pipes are also connected to a seawater main pipe and a drain pipe for draining water overboard; by controlling the opening and closing of the valves, the main pumps can adjust the ballast water in the anti-heeling tanks to port and starboard through the connecting pipes, the main pumps can fill the ballast tanks with water through the seawater main pipes, and the main pumps can drain the bilge water and ballast water from the cargo holds through the drain pipes.

2. The multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-roll as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Two check valves are installed on the bilge water branch pipe.

3. The multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-roll as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The main pump located in the bow equipment compartment is connected to an emergency power supply.

4. The multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-roll as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The valves include isolation valves located on two main pipes, which can divide the multi-functional integrated system for the ship's bilge, ballast and anti-roll into two independently operable sections: the bow and the stern.

5. The multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-roll as described in claim 4, characterized in that, After the isolation valve is closed, two or three main pumps can operate in parallel, simultaneously diverting ballast water from one side of the ship to the other; or, the section of the system that is malfunctioning can be isolated.

6. The multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-roll as described in claim 1, characterized in that, Ballast tanks include side ballast tanks located on both sides of the ship, and also include mid-bottom ballast tanks; the pipe tunnel is eliminated, and the mid-bottom ballast tank is located in the original pipe tunnel position; when the mid-bottom ballast tank is filled with ballast water, it can provide the ship with a stable centering height that meets the safety regulations, thereby enabling the side ballast tanks on both sides of the ship to be used exclusively for adjusting the amount of water used to prevent heeling.

7. The multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-roll as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The main pump adopts a variable frequency drive; the multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast and anti-roll also includes a control module; the control module receives the roll signal from the ship's inclinometer, and can, based on the signal and preset values ​​or data from the onboard computer, adjust the number of main pumps in use and the speed of the main pumps, as well as control the valves, to form a closed-loop control and achieve automatic anti-roll.

8. The multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-roll as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The ballast water branch pipe is equipped with a remote control valve, the valve body of which is located inside the ballast tank; the control component of the remote control valve is located in the dry compartment adjacent to the ballast tank.

9. The multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-roll as described in claim 8, characterized in that, The control components of the remote control valve control the movement of the valve body through hydraulic lines.

10. The multi-functional integrated system for ship bilge, ballast, and anti-roll as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The main pump located in the engine room and the main pump located in the bow equipment room are respectively connected to the seawater main pipe and the drainage pipe.

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