Intelligent flushing device and flushing method for drinking water pipelines in new ships

The intelligent new shipbuilding drinking water pipeline flushing device integrates a central controller and sensor network, and combines sodium hypochlorite solution and high-frequency pulse waves to solve the cleaning blind spots and biofilm removal problems of new shipbuilding drinking water pipelines. It achieves efficient and reliable automated cleaning, reduces operating costs and extends equipment life.

CN122076777APending Publication Date: 2026-05-26NANTONG COSCO KHI SHIP ENG
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Applications(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
NANTONG COSCO KHI SHIP ENG
Filing Date
2026-03-24
Publication Date
2026-05-26

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Newly built ships have drinking water pipelines containing special contaminants such as welding slag and grease. Traditional flushing methods have blind spots and the risk of chemical cleaning agent residue. They cannot simultaneously remove biofilm and sterilize, rely on manual experience, resulting in large quality fluctuations and lack of quantitative standards.

Method used

The intelligent new shipbuilding drinking water pipeline flushing device integrates a central controller, a distributed sensor network, a pressurization pump set, a gas-liquid pulse generator, and a dosing device. Combined with sodium hypochlorite solution, it achieves biofilm removal and sterilization through high-frequency pulse waves and automated detection.

Benefits of technology

It improves cleaning effectiveness and automation, reduces human error, ensures reliable rinsing results every time, reduces operating costs and resource consumption, extends equipment life, and enables data-driven optimization decisions.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

This invention discloses an intelligent flushing device for drinking water pipelines in newly built ships, relating to the field of drinking water pipeline flushing technology. It includes a central controller connected to a distributed sensor network, which comprises a turbidity sensor, a residual chlorine sensor, and a particulate matter counter at the pipeline end. The central controller is also connected to a pressurized pump set, a gas-liquid pulse generator, and a dosing device. The pressurized pump set controls the pipeline flushing pressure, the gas-liquid pulse generator produces high-frequency pulse waves to peel off deposits from the pipe wall, and the dosing device adds flushing fluid to the pipeline. This device improves the cleaning effect, simultaneously removes biofilm and sterilizes, and facilitates post-flushing detection, thus achieving a higher degree of automation in the flushing process.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of drinking water pipeline flushing technology, and in particular to an intelligent new shipbuilding drinking water pipeline flushing device and its flushing method. Background Technology

[0002] Due to the unique characteristics of new shipbuilding, such as piping systems containing special contaminants like welding slag, grease, and anti-corrosion coating debris, and the discontinuous piping resulting from sectional construction, pre-flushing of each section and secondary flushing after assembling the entire structure are necessary. Therefore, existing flushing methods have drawbacks, including blind spots and dead zones in traditional high-pressure water flushing (especially behind U-tubes and pressure reducing valves); the risk of chemical cleaning agent residues, requiring manual inspection and delaying the construction period; the inability to simultaneously remove biofilm and sterilize (insufficient Legionella control); and reliance on manual experience, leading to large quality fluctuations (IMO guidelines lack quantitative standards). Summary of the Invention

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide an intelligent flushing device for drinking water pipelines in new ships, which can improve the cleaning effect, simultaneously achieve biofilm removal and sterilization, facilitate post-flushing detection, and improve the automation level of flushing.

[0004] The above-mentioned technical objective of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solution:

[0005] A smart new shipbuilding drinking water pipeline flushing device includes a central controller connected to a distributed sensor network. The distributed sensor network includes a turbidity sensor, a residual chlorine sensor, and a particulate matter counter at the end of the pipeline. The central controller is also connected to a pressurization pump set, a gas-liquid pulse generator, and a dosing device. The pressurization pump set controls the pipeline flushing pressure, the gas-liquid pulse generator generates high-frequency pulse waves to peel off deposits on the pipeline wall, and the dosing device adds flushing fluid to the pipeline.

[0006] Furthermore, the rinsing solution is a sodium hypochlorite solution.

[0007] Furthermore, the gas-liquid pulse generator mixes compressed air and water at a volume ratio of 1:4.

[0008] The present invention also aims to provide an intelligent flushing method for drinking water pipelines in newly built ships, which improves the degree of automation of flushing.

[0009] The above-mentioned technical objective of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solution: A method for flushing drinking water pipelines in intelligent new shipbuilding includes the following steps: Step S10: Start the flushing program, and the pressurized pump group controls the flushing to perform flushing at the set flushing pressure; Step S20: The gas-liquid pulse generator is started to flush the pipeline at a set frequency; Step S30: Inject sodium hypochlorite solution into the pipeline, let it stand for a period of time, and then flush it.

[0010] Furthermore, the set pulse frequency of the gas-liquid pulse generator is matched with the resonant frequency of the pipeline.

[0011] Furthermore, the resonant frequency of the pipeline is f = k / (L ), where k is the pipe coefficient, L is the pipe length, and D is the pipe diameter.

[0012] Furthermore, it also includes the following steps, Step S40: Re-detect the water quality. If the parameters obtained by the distributed sensor network exceed the preset range, perform corresponding supplementary flushing; otherwise, terminate the flushing procedure.

[0013] Furthermore, step S40 specifically includes, If the parameters obtained by the turbidity sensor exceed the preset range, the pressurized pump group increases the flushing pressure and / or the gas-liquid pulse generator increases the pulse frequency to perform supplementary flushing; If the parameters obtained by the residual chlorine sensor exceed the preset range, continue to inject sodium hypochlorite solution into the pipeline; If the parameters obtained by the particulate counter exceed the preset range, the rinsing time of step S10 and / or step S20 shall be extended.

[0014] Furthermore, an enhanced mode is also provided, which includes a first enhanced flushing mode and a second enhanced flushing mode. For pipelines with dense weld slag, activate the first enhanced flushing mode, controlling the gas-liquid pulse generator to operate at an enhanced frequency higher than the set frequency. For pipelines contaminated with grease, activate the second enhanced flushing mode and control the dosing device to introduce heated alkaline medium.

[0015] Furthermore, before flushing, a 3D model of the pipeline is imported to simulate the dead corners of the flushing path and predict pipelines with dense welding slag or grease contamination, and the first or second enhanced flushing mode is activated accordingly.

[0016] In summary, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: This invention integrates mechanical mechanisms, fluid control, and artificial intelligence algorithms to solve the problem of thoroughly cleaning and sterilizing complex pipeline networks on ships in a single operation before delivery. It can save water and energy efficiently, optimize rinsing parameters and paths, and achieve the cleaning effect with the least amount of water, energy and the shortest time; It improves cleaning effectiveness and reliability. The automated process reduces human error and ensures reliable temperature for each rinse. Real-time detection and trend analysis help detect potential problems early and prevent serious blockages or corrosion. It reduces operating costs, water and electricity consumption, and labor costs; automation significantly reduces the need for manual operation, monitoring, and recording. It also extends equipment lifespan, with more effective cleaning reducing pipe corrosion and wear, extending system lifespan, and lowering replacement costs. Data-driven decision-making and optimization accumulate historical data, allowing AI models to continuously learn from historical data and optimize future flushing strategies. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of a method for flushing drinking water pipelines in intelligent new shipbuilding according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the pipeline prediction process in the intelligent new shipbuilding drinking water pipeline flushing method of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0018] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. These embodiments do not constitute a limitation of the present invention. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the protection scope of this application.

[0019] A smart flushing device for drinking water pipelines in new shipbuilding, such as Figure 1 As shown, it includes a central controller connected to a multi-stage filtration and circulation unit and a distributed sensor network. The multi-stage filtration and circulation unit provides flushing water and includes a sedimentation tank, activated carbon adsorption, a precision filter (5 microns), and UV sterilization, achieving 80% wastewater recycling. The distributed sensor network includes a turbidity sensor, a residual chlorine sensor, a conductivity sensor, and a particulate matter counter (accuracy 0.1 microns) at the end of the pipeline to sense the flushing effect. The central controller can be based on a PLC+IoT gateway, running flushing algorithms and supporting remote monitoring; the central controller is connected to the pressurized pump set, gas-liquid pulse generator, and dosing device. The pressurized pump unit controls the flushing pressure of the pipeline, with frequency conversion control, adjustable pressure range of 0.2-1.0MPa, and flow rate adaptive to pipeline volume; The gas-liquid pulse generator produces high-frequency pulse waves (50-400Hz) to peel off the deposits on the pipe wall. In this embodiment, the gas-liquid pulse generator mixes compressed air and water at a volume ratio of 1:4.

[0020] The dosing device adds flushing fluid to the pipeline. In this embodiment, the flushing fluid is sodium hypochlorite solution. Sodium hypochlorite solution can dissolve grease through saponification reaction, and it can also penetrate glass to destroy the physical structure of biofilm or dirt. Through chemical oxidation, the effective chlorine component destroys the microbial cell structure and degrades organic matter.

[0021] This embodiment also discloses a method for flushing drinking water pipelines in intelligent new shipbuilding, such as... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, it includes the following steps: Step S00: In some embodiments, high-risk pipe sections are automatically marked and flushed more intensively using AI prediction. This can also be replaced by manual marking or other methods. In this embodiment, before flushing, a 3D model of the pipeline is imported to construct a digital twin model, simulating the blind spots in the flushing path. An AI contamination prediction model is then used to predict pipelines with dense welding slag or grease contamination, triggering an enhanced flushing mode accordingly. This enhanced flushing mode includes a first enhanced flushing mode and a second enhanced flushing mode. After the enhanced flushing mode is completed, the normal flushing mode is entered. For pipelines with dense weld slag, activate the first enhanced flushing mode, controlling the gas-liquid pulse generator to operate at an enhanced frequency higher than the set frequency. For pipelines contaminated with grease, activate the second enhanced flushing mode and control the dosing device to introduce a heated alkaline medium (40-50℃). The alkaline medium can be sodium hypochlorite solution (not exceeding 60 degrees Celsius) or other alkaline solutions.

[0022] Step S10: Read the pipeline topology diagram, production zone flushing sequence, start the flushing program, and control the pressurized pump group to flush at the set flushing pressure (0.8MPa) to remove large particulate impurities; Step S20: The gas-liquid pulse generator is activated to flush the pipeline at a set frequency (5Hz) to remove micro-residues. In this embodiment, the set pulse frequency of the gas-liquid pulse generator matches the pipeline resonant frequency, f = k / (L In this equation, L is the pipe length, D is the pipe diameter, and k is the pipe coefficient. The pipe coefficient can be obtained by calculation or by looking up a table. It is a comprehensive parameter that includes 1. the elastic modulus of the pipe, which represents the rigidity of the material; 2. the geometric characteristics of the pipe, such as the moment of inertia of the cross section, which is the ability to resist bending deformation; and 3. the spacing and method of pipe supports. In some embodiments, the pipe resonance frequency can also be obtained by other formulas or methods. Step S30: Inject 2 ppm sodium hypochlorite solution into the pipeline, let it stand for 30 minutes, and then flush it. Step S40: Re-detect the water quality. If the parameters obtained by the distributed sensor network exceed the preset range, perform a corresponding supplementary flush (which can be a final detection after steps S10-S30, or a detection after the corresponding step). In this embodiment, the preset range meets the ISO 15883 standard; otherwise, terminate the flushing procedure and generate the corresponding ISO certification report, etc. Specifically, If the parameters obtained by the turbidity sensor exceed the preset range, in this embodiment, when the turbidity parameter is greater than 5 NTU, the pressurized pump group increases the flushing pressure and the gas-liquid pulse generator increases the pulse frequency to perform supplementary flushing. If the parameter obtained by the residual chlorine sensor exceeds the preset range, in this embodiment, when the residual chlorine parameter is less than 0.3 ppm, sodium hypochlorite solution is injected into the pipeline, that is, step S30 is repeated once; in some embodiments, it can also be set to make different settings for the concentration or duration in step S30 according to the obtained parameters, and it can also be added or replaced with ATP detection to quickly detect the total amount of all bioactive substances in the sample, reflect the cleanliness and the risk of microbial contamination, so as to further assist in determining whether to add sodium hypochlorite solution for cleaning; If the parameters obtained by the particulate counter exceed the preset range, in this embodiment, if the particulate parameters exceed the standard, the rinsing time of step S20 is extended by 10% to re-clean the pipeline. It can also be set to other re-cleaning times.

[0023] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications or equivalent substitutions to the present invention within the scope of its essence and protection. Such modifications or equivalent substitutions should also be considered to fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A smart flushing device for drinking water pipelines in newly built ships, characterized in that: It includes a central controller connected to a distributed sensor network, which includes a turbidity sensor, a residual chlorine sensor, and a particulate matter counter at the end of the pipeline. The central controller is also connected to a pressurization pump set, a gas-liquid pulse generator, and a dosing device. The pressurization pump set controls the pipeline flushing pressure, the gas-liquid pulse generator generates high-frequency pulse waves to peel off the deposits on the pipeline wall, and the dosing device adds flushing fluid to the pipeline.

2. The intelligent new shipbuilding drinking water pipeline flushing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rinsing solution is a sodium hypochlorite solution.

3. The intelligent new shipbuilding drinking water pipeline flushing device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that: The gas-liquid pulse generator mixes compressed air and water at a volume ratio of 1:

4.

4. A flushing method based on the intelligent new shipbuilding drinking water pipeline flushing device according to claim 1, characterized in that: Includes the following steps, Step S10: Start the flushing program, and the pressurized pump group controls the flushing to perform flushing at the set flushing pressure; Step S20: The gas-liquid pulse generator is started to flush the pipeline at a set frequency; Step S30: Inject sodium hypochlorite solution into the pipeline, let it stand for a period of time, and then flush it.

5. The intelligent new shipbuilding drinking water pipeline flushing method according to claim 4, characterized in that: The set pulse frequency of the gas-liquid pulse generator is matched with the resonant frequency of the pipeline.

6. The method for flushing drinking water pipelines in intelligent new shipbuilding according to claim 5, characterized in that: The resonant frequency of the pipeline is f=k / (L) ), where k is the pipe coefficient, L is the pipe length, and D is the pipe diameter.

7. The intelligent new shipbuilding drinking water pipeline flushing method according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also includes the following steps, Step S40: Re-detect the water quality. If the parameters obtained by the distributed sensor network exceed the preset range, perform corresponding supplementary flushing; otherwise, terminate the flushing procedure.

8. The intelligent new shipbuilding drinking water pipeline flushing method according to claim 7, characterized in that: Step S40 specifically includes, If the parameters obtained by the turbidity sensor exceed the preset range, the pressurized pump group increases the flushing pressure and / or the gas-liquid pulse generator increases the pulse frequency to perform supplementary flushing; If the parameters obtained by the residual chlorine sensor exceed the preset range, continue to inject sodium hypochlorite solution into the pipeline; If the parameters obtained by the particulate counter exceed the preset range, the rinsing time of step S10 and / or step S20 shall be extended.

9. The intelligent new shipbuilding drinking water pipeline flushing method according to claim 4, characterized in that: It also features enhanced modes, including a first enhanced rinse mode and a second enhanced rinse mode. For pipelines with dense weld slag, activate the first enhanced flushing mode, controlling the gas-liquid pulse generator to operate at an enhanced frequency higher than the set frequency. For pipelines contaminated with grease, activate the second enhanced flushing mode and control the dosing device to introduce heated alkaline medium.

10. The intelligent new shipbuilding drinking water pipeline flushing method according to claim 9, characterized in that: Before flushing, import the 3D model of the pipeline, simulate the dead corners of the flushing path, and predict the pipelines with dense welding slag or grease contamination, and start the first enhanced flushing mode or the second enhanced flushing mode accordingly.