Arctic under-ice submersible transport system adaptable to nuclear power and conventional diesel power

Abstract

This invention discloses an Arctic submersible transport system adaptable to both nuclear and conventional diesel power, belonging to the field of Arctic transport equipment technology. The system includes a dual-power mode compatible submersible transport platform module, a piston-type self-cleaning storage and transport module, a multimodal three-dimensional collaborative operation module, an under-ice communication and navigation module, an intelligent ballast control module, and a safety assurance module. The core platform adopts a modular power compartment design, adaptable to either nuclear or conventional diesel power, and can stably submerge at a depth of 5 meters under 2 meters of Arctic ice, with a rated crude oil carrying capacity of 460,000 tons. It is equipped with multiple unmanned surface vessels, ice-surface hovercraft, and aerial resupply and protection mechanisms to form a three-dimensional collaborative system. The storage and transport module uses a partitioned piston-type oil tank structure, enabling crude oil loading and unloading, self-cleaning, and dynamic control of ballast water. This system enables year-round, all-weather navigation along Arctic routes, mitigating geopolitical risks, balancing long-range economics with construction approval flexibility, and significantly improving the efficiency, safety, and adaptability of polar energy and bulk commodity transportation.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of Arctic polar transportation equipment technology, specifically to a submersible transportation system that is adapted to the extreme environment of the Arctic ice zone and compatible with both nuclear power and conventional diesel power modes. Background Technology

[0002] Currently, the Arctic shipping route and the global ocean energy and commodity transportation sectors face the following core technological challenges and industry deficiencies: 1. Navigation capacity is severely constrained by the seasons: The ice thickness in the Arctic shipping route can reach 2 meters or more in winter. Traditional icebreaker operations are energy-intensive, inefficient, and risky, making it impossible to achieve year-round, all-weather navigation. The timeliness of transportation cannot be guaranteed, which seriously restricts the efficiency of intercontinental ocean trade.

[0003] 2. Uncontrollable geopolitical risks: Traditional Suez Canal routes, China-Europe freight trains, and cross-border oil and gas pipelines pass through the territories and waters of multiple countries, making them susceptible to interference from geopolitical conflicts, canal congestion, and third-party control. The initiative and security of foreign trade and energy transportation cannot be guaranteed.

[0004] 3. High transportation costs: Traditional sea and icebreaking transportation methods have high fuel costs, canal tolls, and labor maintenance costs. Empty ships need to carry a large amount of ballast water on their return trip, which poses risks of biological invasion, environmental compliance, and additional energy consumption, resulting in high unit transportation costs. Existing polar transportation equipment has a single power mode. Nuclear power solutions have high construction approval thresholds and long cycles, while conventional power solutions cannot take into account both long-range and sub-ice navigation adaptability, and cannot meet the differentiated needs of different operators.

[0005] 4. Insufficient adaptability to ice-covered areas: Existing transport equipment lacks a dedicated design for underwater navigation under Arctic ice, making it impossible to balance stable navigation under ice, heavy loads, and precise control. Under-ice communication, obstacle detection, and safety assurance systems are also inadequate, resulting in high operational risks.

[0006] 5. Low level of unmanned operation: Traditional shipping relies on a large number of crew members, resulting in high labor costs and high risks in polar operations, making it impossible to achieve fully automated, unmanned operation and collaborative management of multi-ship formations.

[0007] 6. Insufficient environmental protection in energy storage and transportation: Traditional oil tankers require complex tank washing operations after unloading, which makes tank washing wastewater treatment difficult. Ballast water from empty ships is easily mixed with residual oil, making environmental compliance difficult and operation and maintenance processes cumbersome. Summary of the Invention

[0008] The purpose of this invention is to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior art and provide an Arctic subsea transport system that is compatible with both nuclear power and conventional diesel power, enabling year-round, all-weather navigation of the Arctic route, avoiding geopolitical risks, balancing long-range economics and construction approval flexibility, significantly improving the carrying capacity, operational efficiency, safety and environmental protection of polar transport, and building an independent, controllable and more adaptable intercontinental ocean transport system.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A submersible transport system for the Arctic ice that is compatible with both nuclear power and conventional diesel power includes a submersible transport platform module compatible with dual power modes, a piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module, a multimodal three-dimensional collaborative operation module, an ice-ice communication and navigation module, an intelligent ballast control module, and a safety assurance module. The dual-power compatible submersible transport platform module features a streamlined, pressure-resistant submersible structure with a modular power compartment design. It can be adapted to either a nuclear propulsion system or a conventional diesel propulsion system. The wheel is 400m long, 8m wide, and 15m high. Ballast water tanks with a total volume of 120,000 cubic meters are installed on both sides of the platform and at the bottom of the wheel. An anchor is installed at the front of the platform, and multiple sets of guide mechanisms are deployed around the platform. The platform is suitable for Arctic ice environments with a thickness of 2m and can stably submerge at a depth of 5m under the ice. The platform has a self-weight of 80,000 tons and a rated crude oil carrying capacity of 460,000 tons. The piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module is installed inside a submersible transport platform compatible with dual power modes. It includes multiple sets of piston-type oil tanks separated by partitions. Each set of oil tanks is 300m long, 90m wide, and 20m high, with a total volume of 540,000 cubic meters. Each set of oil tanks is equipped with an axially sliding main oil piston, an auxiliary push-pull cleaning piston, and a rotary cleaning piston with a self-rotating cleaning structure. The multimodal three-dimensional collaborative operation module includes an ice surface operation unit, an aerial protection and supply unit, and an underwater detection formation unit. The ice surface operation unit includes an ice surface hovercraft command ship serving as the overall command center. The aerial protection and supply unit includes two or more helicopters for protection and supply, and two fixed-wing supply aircraft for patrol, protection, and supply. The underwater detection formation unit includes four lead unmanned surface vessels (USVs), multiple flanking USVs, and multiple underwater forward-probing USVs. The underwater communication and navigation module includes a multi-channel underwater sonar communication unit mounted on an underwater squad leader unmanned surface vessel (USV), an ice-underwater networking relay unit, and a three-in-one detection and navigation unit. The ice-surface hovercraft establishes two-way communication with the underwater squad leader USV through the underwater sonar system. The squad leader USV connects all underwater unmanned vehicles with a submersible transport platform compatible with dual-power modes. The three-in-one detection and navigation unit consists of an underwater sonar detection system, a surface USV early warning system, and an aerial helicopter meteorological monitoring system. The intelligent ballast control module is linked with the ballast water tank and piston-type oil tank, and can dynamically adjust the ballast water volume and the volume of the medium in the oil tank according to the navigation conditions, adapting to both submerged navigation under ice and surface navigation. The safety protection module includes an extreme cold protection unit, a ballast water treatment unit, and an emergency rescue unit. The extreme cold protection unit relies on the surplus heat source of the power system to deploy a heat tracing structure. The ballast water treatment unit includes an oil spill collection device and a two-stage filtration device. The emergency rescue unit is linked with ice surface hovercraft and aerial helicopters.

[0010] Furthermore, the piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module also includes an oil-water isolation and protection unit. The oil-water isolation and protection unit is a pneumatic oil-water separation structure, including a pillow-shaped prefabricated pneumatic bladder that matches the size of the oil tank. The bottom of the pneumatic bladder is provided with 4 sets of independent flange interfaces that connect to the bottom fixing points of the tank. When loading oil, the pneumatic bladder inflates to fill the tank. After unloading oil, the pneumatic bladder contracts and lies flat on the bottom of the tank. When ballasting, seawater is injected to achieve complete isolation from the oil.

[0011] Furthermore, the piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module also includes an oil-water isolation protection unit. The oil-water isolation protection unit is an in-situ film-forming isolation structure. It can achieve oil-water isolation by putting an expandable raw material blank into an empty oil tank, which is then inflated and pressurized to form a continuous thin-walled isolation layer covering the tank wall.

[0012] Furthermore, the piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module also includes an oil-water isolation and protection unit. The oil-water isolation and protection unit is a grooved storage membrane isolation structure. The bottom of the oil tank is provided with a full-length storage main groove that is 2m wide and 1m deep. The isolation membrane is laid flat in the groove, and the groove opening is provided with a hydraulic rotating sliding steel plate cover with a sealing structure. When ballasted, the steel plate cover is closed to keep the membrane in a pressure-free safe zone.

[0013] Furthermore, the underwater squad leader unmanned surface vessel is equipped with a large-capacity lithium battery pack, adopts a graded and segmented rotating power supply mode, and reserves multiple sets of backup power supplies, which can meet the power supply needs for continuous navigation and communication for 6,000-7,000 kilometers.

[0014] Furthermore, it also includes a fleet towing transport unit, which can be a submersible transport platform compatible with dual-power mode as the main vessel, towing one or more unpowered submersible cargo barges. The main vessel undertakes crude oil trunk line transportation, while the cargo barges undertake refined oil feeder line transportation. When returning empty, the main vessel tows the barges.

[0015] Furthermore, the main oil piston has a unidirectional propulsion structure and can move axially towards the bow to achieve full unloading of crude oil; the auxiliary push-pull cleaning piston can reciprocate axially to work with the tank cleaning fluid to flush the tank walls; the rotating cleaning piston is covered with a lint-free sponge and wear-resistant cloth cleaning structure, which can simultaneously achieve high-speed rotation and axial movement to complete deep cleaning of the tank walls.

[0016] Furthermore, the dual-condition control logic of the intelligent ballast control module is as follows: In the winter heavy-load outbound condition, pressurized water is added to the oil tank to control the platform's draft depth in conjunction with the crude oil weight, ensuring stable submersion at 5m below the ice; In the summer empty-load return condition, the ballast water tank outside the tank is filled with water to keep the platform in a water surface navigation state, reducing navigation resistance.

[0017] Furthermore, the modular power compartment adopts a quick-change sealed compartment structure. The compartment installation interface, power output interface, and control system interface of the nuclear propulsion system and the conventional diesel propulsion system are completely interchangeable, and the power mode can be quickly changed according to operational needs. The conventional diesel propulsion system is equipped with an independent polar-specific fuel tank with a vacuum insulation design, which can be adapted to the Arctic -50℃ extreme cold environment. The fuel reserves can meet the needs of the entire round-trip voyage on the Arctic route.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following significant advantages: 1. Breaking seasonal limitations and enabling year-round navigation: This system adopts a submerged navigation mode under ice, eliminating the need for icebreaking operations. It is adaptable to the 2-meter-thick ice layer environment in the Arctic, completely solving the industry pain point of being unable to pass through due to winter icing. It enables year-round, all-weather direct transportation on the Arctic route, significantly improving the timeliness of intercontinental transportation.

[0019] 2. Avoid geopolitical risks and gain control over transportation: The entire journey under the ice does not pass through the territory and territorial waters of any third country, completely bypassing geopolitical interference, canal congestion, and piracy risks. This creates an independent and controllable safe transportation channel for my country's foreign trade and energy imports, ensuring national energy and trade security.

[0020] 3. Flexible power modes and wider adaptability: The modular universal power compartment design is compatible with both nuclear power and conventional diesel power. The nuclear power option can achieve unlimited range and zero fuel cost; the conventional power option can significantly reduce the construction approval threshold and shorten the construction cycle, meet the differentiated needs of different operators, and take into account both long-range economy and feasibility of implementation.

[0021] 4. Large carrying capacity, significantly reducing transportation costs: The core platform has a single-trip crude oil carrying capacity of 460,000 tons, far exceeding that of traditional supertankers. Combined with the convoy towing mode, it can further improve transportation efficiency, and the unit transportation cost is much lower than that of traditional icebreakers, sea freight and China-Europe freight trains.

[0022] 5. Strong environmental compliance and simplified operation and maintenance process: The unique piston-type self-cleaning tank structure can complete the self-cleaning of the tank after unloading, without the need for port cleaning operations; combined with the oil-water isolation structure, it completely solves the environmental pain points of oil-water mixing and biological invasion of traditional tanker ballast water, and the tank cleaning wastewater can achieve standard discharge, making the whole process environmentally compliant.

[0023] 6. Fully automated operation with high safety: Through the multimodal three-dimensional collaborative operation module and the under-ice communication and navigation module, the entire process of under-ice channel detection, obstacle avoidance, navigation control, and loading and unloading operations is fully automated, requiring no human intervention and avoiding the risks of personnel operations in the extreme polar environment; the three-in-one detection and navigation system can avoid under-ice obstacles in real time, ensuring navigation safety.

[0024] 7. Strong adaptability to multiple operating conditions and flexible operation mode: The intelligent ballast control module can realize dynamic adaptation of both submerged navigation under ice and surface navigation modes. Combined with the formation operation mode of trunk line + feeder line, the main vessel focuses on crude oil trunk line transportation, while the cargo barge undertakes high value-added feeder line transportation. The empty return trip can be towed with zero energy consumption, maximizing the full cycle operation benefits. Attached Figure Description

[0025] Figure 1 is an isometric structural diagram of the underwater transport platform compatible with dual power modes according to the present invention; Figure 2 is a top view of the underwater transport platform compatible with dual-power mode according to the present invention. Figure 3 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the navigation conditions under Arctic ice according to the present invention; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the underwater vessel berthing and unloading operation according to the present invention; Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the piston-type self-cleaning oil tank of the present invention (I); Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the piston-type self-cleaning oil tank of the present invention (II). Detailed Implementation

[0026] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations.

[0027] The present invention proposes an Arctic submersible transport system that is compatible with both nuclear power and conventional diesel power, including a submersible transport platform 1 that is compatible with dual power modes, a piston-type self-cleaning storage and transport module, a multimodal three-dimensional collaborative operation module, an under-ice communication and navigation module, an intelligent ballast control module, and a safety assurance module. The dual-power compatible submersible transport platform 1 is the core carrier of the system. It adopts a modular power compartment design and can be adapted to nuclear power propulsion system or conventional diesel power propulsion system. The main body is a streamlined pressure-resistant submersible structure with a wheel length of 400m, a wheel width of 8m, and a wheel height of 15m. Ballast water tanks 10 with a total volume of 120,000 cubic meters are set on both sides of the main body of the platform and the bottom of the wheel. An anchor 3 is set at the front of the platform, and multiple sets of guide machines 2 are deployed around the body. The platform is adapted to the Arctic environment with a 2m thick ice layer 14 and can stably submerge at a depth of 5m under the ice. The platform has a self-weight of 80,000 tons, a rated crude oil carrying capacity of 460,000 tons, and a single trip transportation capacity of no less than 400,000 tons of crude oil. The piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module is installed inside the submersible transport platform 1, which is compatible with dual-power modes. It includes multiple sets of piston-type oil tanks 11 separated by partitions 12. Each set of oil tanks 11 has a length of 300m, a width of 90m, and a height of 20m, with a total volume of 540,000 cubic meters. Each set of oil tanks 11 is equipped with an axially sliding main oil piston, an auxiliary push-pull cleaning piston, and a rotating cleaning piston with a self-rotating cleaning structure, which together form a piston-type cleaning mechanism 13. The axial movement of the piston can complete the full unloading of crude oil, self-cleaning of the tank walls, and oil-water isolation. The multimodal three-dimensional collaborative operation module includes an ice surface operation unit, an aerial protection and supply unit, and an underwater detection formation unit. The ice surface operation unit includes an ice surface hovercraft 6 (command ship) serving as the overall command center. The aerial protection and supply unit includes two or more helicopters 7 for protection and supply, and two fixed-wing supply aircraft 8 for patrol, protection, and supply. The underwater detection formation unit includes four lead unmanned surface vessels 5, multiple flanking unmanned surface vessels 4, and multiple underwater forward-exploration unmanned surface vessels 9, which are used for forward exploration of the underwater channel, flanking escort, and obstacle avoidance, respectively. The underwater communication and navigation module includes a multi-channel underwater sonar communication unit mounted on the underwater squad leader unmanned surface vessel (USV), an ice-underwater networking relay unit, and a three-in-one detection and navigation unit. The ice-surface hovercraft 6 establishes two-way communication with the underwater squad leader USV through the underwater sonar system. The squad leader USV connects all underwater unmanned vehicles with the dual-powered submersible transport platform 1, enabling signal communication and coordinated operation of the entire formation. The three-in-one detection and navigation unit consists of an underwater sonar detection system, a surface USV early warning system, and an aerial helicopter 7 meteorological monitoring system. It can scan the underwater terrain, water depth, and obstacles in real time to achieve autonomous obstacle avoidance and route optimization. The intelligent ballast control module is linked with the ballast water tank 10 and the piston-type oil tank 11. It can dynamically adjust the ballast water volume and the medium volume in the oil tank 11 according to the navigation conditions, so as to realize the dual-mode adaptation of stable submerged navigation under ice under heavy load conditions in winter and low-resistance navigation on the water surface under empty load conditions in summer. The safety protection module includes an extreme cold protection unit, a ballast water treatment unit, and an emergency rescue unit. The extreme cold protection unit relies on the surplus heat source of the power system and installs a heat tracing structure on the outer wall of the oil tank 11 and the ballast water tank 10 to prevent the seawater inside the tank from freezing at low temperatures. The ballast water treatment unit includes a floating oil collection device and a two-stage filtration device, which can achieve ballast water discharge that meets standards. The emergency rescue unit is linked with the ice hovercraft 6 and the helicopter 7 in the air to realize emergency response and personnel rescue.

[0028] Furthermore, the piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module also includes an oil-water isolation protection unit, which adopts any one or a combination of the following three schemes: Option 1: Airbag-type oil-water separation structure, including a pillow-shaped prefabricated airbag that matches the size of tank 11. The bottom of the airbag is equipped with 4 sets of independent flange interfaces that connect to the bottom fixing points of the tank. When loading oil, oil enters through the flange ports to fill the airbag. After unloading oil, the airbag contracts and lies flat on the bottom of the tank. During ballasting, seawater is injected to completely isolate it from the oil. Option 2: In-situ film-forming isolation structure, expandable raw material blanks can be put into empty oil tank 11 before the empty return trip. By inflating and pressurizing, the raw material is extended to form a continuous thin-walled isolation layer, which covers the tank wall to achieve oil-water isolation. After arriving at the port, it can be compressed and recycled. Option 3: A grooved storage membrane isolation structure. A full-length storage groove with a width of 2m and a depth of 1m is set at the bottom of tank 11. The isolation membrane is laid flat in the groove, and the groove opening is equipped with a hydraulic rotating sliding steel plate cover with a sealing structure. During ballast, the steel plate cover is closed to keep the membrane in a pressure-free safe zone to avoid crushing and damage.

[0029] Furthermore, the underwater squad leader unmanned surface vessel is equipped with a large-capacity lithium battery pack, adopts a graded and segmented rotating power supply mode, and reserves multiple sets of backup power supplies, which can meet the power supply needs for continuous navigation and communication for 6,000-7,000 kilometers without the need for resupply midway.

[0030] Furthermore, the system also includes a convoy towing transport unit, which can be a dual-powered submersible transport platform 1 as the main vessel, towing one or more unpowered submersible cargo barges to achieve multi-vessel convoy synchronous transport. The main vessel focuses on crude oil trunk line transport, while the cargo barges undertake refined oil feeder line transport. When returning empty, the main vessel tows the barges to achieve zero-energy return.

[0031] Furthermore, the modular power compartment adopts a quick-change sealed compartment structure. The compartment installation interface, power output interface, and control system interface of the nuclear propulsion system and the conventional diesel propulsion system are completely interchangeable, allowing for rapid switching of power modes according to operational needs. The conventional diesel propulsion system is equipped with an independent polar-specific fuel tank, which adopts a vacuum insulation design and can adapt to the Arctic environment of -50°C. The fuel reserves can meet the needs of the entire round-trip voyage on the Arctic route. It is equipped with a low-temperature start-up auxiliary system, which can achieve rapid and stable start-up in extremely cold environments.

[0032] Furthermore, the operating process of the piston-type oil tank 11 is as follows: during the outbound loading of oil, all pistons retract to the end of the oil tank 11, and the oil tank 11 is fully loaded with crude oil; during unloading, the main thrust piston moves forward axially to push the crude oil to the unloading port at the bow to complete the unloading; during tank washing, the auxiliary push-pull piston works with the tank washing fluid to repeatedly flush the tank walls, and the rotating cleaning piston rotates synchronously and moves axially to clean the residual oil on the tank walls. The tank washing wastewater is discharged after passing two-stage filtration; during the return ballast, seawater is injected into the ballast water tank 10 or the oil tank 11 through the intelligent ballast control module to achieve navigation stability control.

[0033] Furthermore, the dual-mode control logic of the intelligent ballast control module is as follows: under the heavy-load outbound working condition in winter, pressurized water is added to the oil tank 11 to control the platform's draft depth in conjunction with the crude oil weight, ensuring stable submersion at 5m below the ice; under the empty-load return working condition in summer, the ballast water tank 10 outside the tank is filled with water to keep the platform in a water surface navigation state, reducing navigation resistance.

[0034] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to specific embodiments.

[0035] Example 1: This embodiment provides two power adaptation implementation methods for the core carrier of a submersible transport system that is compatible with dual-power modes, as detailed below: The core of this system is a dual-powered submersible transport platform 1, named the Arctic Blue Whale Submersible. The main body adopts a streamlined pressure-resistant hull structure and is made of marine high-strength pressure-resistant steel plates. It is adapted to the navigation pressure at a depth of 5m under ice (approximately 1.5 atmospheres), and the structural strength meets the navigation requirements of the Arctic ice zone.

[0036] Platform core parameters: Wheel length 400m, wheel width 8m, wheel height 15m, platform weight 80,000 tons; Ballast water tanks 10 with a total volume of 120,000 cubic meters are installed on both sides of the platform and under the wheels for navigation stability and draft control; Two sets of wheel anchors 3 are installed at the front of the platform, and four sets of guide mechanisms 2 are deployed around the platform, located on the upper and lower sides of the front and rear of the platform, respectively, for precise navigation direction control; A quick-change modular power compartment is installed at the rear of the platform, compatible with two power systems. Option A: Nuclear propulsion scheme, with a compact pressurized water reactor nuclear propulsion system installed inside the cabin, providing the platform with unlimited power support, suitable for the needs of long-distance intercontinental transport in the Arctic, with no fuel consumption and extremely low operating costs; Option B: Conventional diesel propulsion system, with 4 sets of high-power polar-specific diesel engines installed in the cabin, and a vacuum-insulated fuel tank. The fuel reserves can meet the needs of the entire round trip on the Arctic route. It is equipped with a low-temperature start-up auxiliary system, which can stably start in extremely cold environments of -50℃. The construction approval threshold is low and the cycle is short, so it can be quickly put into production.

[0037] The platform is equipped with a piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module, which includes four independent piston-type oil tanks 11 separated by partitions 12. Each oil tank 11 is 300m long, 90m wide, and 20m high, with a total volume of 540,000 cubic meters, a rated crude oil carrying capacity of 460,000 tons, and a single-trip transportation capacity of no less than 400,000 tons of crude oil.

[0038] The platform is adaptable to Arctic ice environments with a thickness of 2m. Its normal navigation depth is 5m below the ice layer, completely avoiding the risks of ice surface impact and ice drift. It does not require icebreaker escort and can achieve autonomous navigation throughout the year.

[0039] Example 2: This embodiment provides a specific implementation method for a piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module, as detailed below: Each piston-type oil tank 11 has a cylindrical segmented structure, with annular support rings installed every 20m to prevent deformation of the tank; three independent piston mechanisms are installed axially inside the tank, namely: Main oil piston: It is a one-way thrust piston that can only move axially towards the bow. It is used to push all the crude oil in oil tank 11 to the unloading port at the bow to achieve unloading without residue. Auxiliary push-pull cleaning piston: It can move back and forth along the axis, and work with the high-pressure cleaning fluid to reciprocate to flush the tank wall and remove residual oil from the tank wall; Rotary cleaning piston: The piston is covered with lint-free sponge and wear-resistant cloth, which can achieve high-speed rotation and axial movement at the same time. The rotation process can generate frictional heat, which, together with the tank cleaning fluid, can deeply clean the tank wall and remove stubborn residual oil. The above three piston mechanisms together constitute the piston-type cleaning mechanism 13; Oil tank 11 is equipped with an oil-water isolation and protection unit. In this embodiment, an airbag-type oil-water separation structure is adopted. Specifically, a pillow-shaped prefabricated airbag is customized according to the size of the tank body of oil tank 11. The material is aerospace-grade oil-resistant and corrosion-resistant polymer material with a design service life of not less than 2 years. Four sets of independent flange interfaces are set at the bottom of the airbag, which are tightly connected to the bottom fixing point to realize oil inlet and fixation simultaneously.

[0040] The work process is as follows: Outbound oil loading: Crude oil is injected into the air bladder simultaneously through 4 sets of flanges. The air bladder quickly inflates to full capacity, with the four sides tightly against the tank walls. After loading is completed, the shipment begins. Oil unloading operation: After arriving at the destination port, the oil is released through the flange port, and the main thrust piston moves forward in sync to unload the crude oil in full. The air bladder then contracts and lies flat on the bottom of the tank. Tank cleaning operation: After unloading oil, high-pressure tank cleaning fluid is introduced to assist the push-pull piston in reciprocating flushing. The rotating cleaning piston rotates synchronously and moves axially to complete the cleaning of the tank walls. The tank cleaning wastewater is filtered through coarse filtration and fine filtration to meet the discharge standards before being discharged. Return ballast: Seawater is injected into tank 11 as ballast water, completely isolating the seawater from the residual oil in the airbag to ensure navigational stability; Recycling: After arriving at the loading port, the ballast water is drained, oil is refilled into the airbag, and the next transportation cycle begins.

[0041] Example 3: This embodiment provides a specific implementation method for the multimodal three-dimensional collaborative operation and under-ice communication and navigation module, as follows: The multimodal three-dimensional collaborative operation module is divided into three levels: ice surface, air, and underwater, and works collaboratively to complete navigation support, command and control, and detection and protection functions. Ice Surface Operation Unit: One ice surface hovercraft 6 is set up as the overall command center and command ship of the entire fleet. It is equipped with a global command system, a sonar communication relay system, and emergency rescue equipment. It can navigate stably on the ice surface and undertake command and dispatch, supply transfer and emergency response functions. Airborne protection and replenishment unit: Equipped with 2 multi-purpose helicopters 7, responsible for formation air protection, personnel supply, ice surface reconnaissance, and emergency rescue functions; Equipped with 2 fixed-wing replenishment aircraft 8, responsible for long-range patrol, all-area surveillance, meteorological monitoring, and material replenishment functions. For conventional power schemes, it can simultaneously achieve mid-course refueling, further extending the range. Underwater exploration formation unit: Equipped with 4 lead unmanned surface vessels (USVs) 5, sailing ahead of the dual-powered submersible transport platform 1, responsible for underwater channel exploration, terrain mapping, and obstacle detection; 3 flanking USVs 4, sailing on the left and right sides and stern of the platform respectively, responsible for flanking escort and blind spot monitoring; multiple underwater forward USVs 9, responsible for deep-water terrain exploration and obstacle avoidance early warning; and 1 underwater leader USV, serving as the underwater communication relay and formation control center. The specific implementation method of the under-ice communication and navigation module is as follows: The ice-surface hovercraft 6 establishes two-way stable and encrypted communication with the underwater squad leader unmanned surface vessel through a multi-channel underwater sonar system; the underwater squad leader unmanned surface vessel receives surface command instructions, connects all underwater unmanned vehicles through an underwater local area network, and synchronously links with the dual-powered submersible transport platform 1 to achieve signal communication, data synchronization and collaborative operation of the entire underwater formation. The underwater squad leader unmanned surface vessel features an enlarged design and is equipped with multiple high-capacity lithium battery packs. It adopts a tiered and segmented power supply mode, which is put into use in sequence. It also has 3 backup power supplies, which can meet the power supply needs for continuous navigation and communication for 6,000-7,000 kilometers without the need for mid-journey resupply or battery replacement, ensuring stable communication and navigation throughout the entire journey. The navigation system adopts a three-in-one detection and navigation mode. The underwater forward-probing unmanned surface vessel 9 scans the ice-covered terrain, water depth and obstacles in real time through its sonar detection system. The surface unmanned surface vessel and ice hovercraft 6 monitor the ice environment. The aerial helicopter 7 and supply aircraft 8 monitor the weather and plan the overall route. The system can automatically optimize the route based on real-time detection data and autonomously avoid obstacles without human intervention. Example

[0042] This embodiment provides a specific implementation method for intelligent ballast regulation, safety assurance, and operation mode, as follows: The intelligent ballast control module is linked with the ballast water tank 10 and the piston-type oil tank 11, and has built-in operating parameters specific to the Arctic ice region, enabling dual-mode dynamic control: Winter heavy load outbound working condition: The submersible transport platform 1, which is compatible with dual power mode, is fully loaded with crude oil. Pressurized water is added to the oil tank 11. The platform's draft is precisely controlled in accordance with the weight of crude oil to ensure stable submersion of the platform at a depth of 5m below the ice layer 14 and avoid impact with the ice layer 14. Summer empty return trip: After the dual-powered submersible transport platform 1 completes oil unloading, it fills the 120,000 cubic meter ballast water tank 10 outside the tank with seawater, so that the platform floats to the water surface and sails, with only the top 2m above the water, which greatly reduces sailing resistance and energy consumption.

[0043] Specific implementation methods of the security module: Extreme cold antifreeze unit: Relying on the surplus heat source of the power system, heating rods and heat tracing cables are installed on the outer walls of oil tank 11 and ballast water tank 10. The low-temperature micro-insulation mode has low energy consumption and can prevent the seawater inside the tank from freezing in the Arctic extreme cold environment, and prevent expansion and compression from damaging the tank structure. For conventional diesel power schemes, an independent electric auxiliary heating emergency system is provided to ensure the antifreeze needs of the tank when the power system is shut down. Ballast water treatment unit: Equipped with an oil spill collection device and a two-stage filtration system of coarse filtration + fine filtration. Before ballast water is discharged, the surface oil is first removed by the oil spill collection device and stored in the waste oil tank. The remaining water is discharged into the designated sea area after passing the two-stage filtration, which fully complies with environmental protection compliance requirements. Emergency rescue unit: It is linked with the ice hovercraft 6 and the aerial helicopter 7. The nuclear-powered submersible transport platform 1 has a built-in fault monitoring system that can monitor the cabin sealing, power system and navigation status in real time. When a fault occurs, it will automatically issue an early warning and link up with the ice surface and aerial emergency units to achieve rapid emergency response and rescue.

[0044] Specific implementation of the operating model: Adopting a trunk line + branch line platooning operation model to maximize operational revenue. The main vessel (a 300,000-ton submersible transport platform compatible with dual-power mode) focuses on crude oil trunk line transportation, carrying out dedicated crude oil transportation from Siberia, Russia to Rotterdam. After unloading, it immediately returns to load cargo, ensuring uninterrupted trunk line transportation efficiency. Equipped with 100,000-200,000-ton-class submersible cargo barges, it undertakes feeder transportation of refined oil products. During its call at the Port of Rotterdam, it will operate refined oil transportation from New York to Rotterdam. During the winter when the Arctic shipping route is closed, it can achieve exclusive transportation, thereby enhancing its premium pricing power. When returning empty, the cargo barge is towed by the main vessel’s dual-powered submersible transport platform 1, achieving a zero-energy return trip without the need for additional fuel consumption, thus significantly reducing operating costs. It can simultaneously adapt to the intercontinental bulk commodity transportation from Shanghai Port and Dalian Port in China to Europe, as well as the LNG energy transportation needs between China and Russia, to build a multi-route, multi-category transportation network.

[0045] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An Arctic subsea transport system adaptable to both nuclear and conventional diesel power, characterized in that: It includes a dual-power mode compatible submersible transport platform module, a piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module, a multimodal three-dimensional collaborative operation module, an under-ice communication and navigation module, an intelligent ballast control module, and a safety assurance module; The dual-power compatible submersible transport platform module features a streamlined, pressure-resistant submersible structure with a modular power compartment design. It can be adapted to either a nuclear propulsion system or a conventional diesel propulsion system. The wheel is 400m long, 8m wide, and 15m high. Ballast water tanks with a total volume of 120,000 cubic meters are located on both sides of the platform and at the bottom of the wheel. An anchor is installed at the front of the platform, and multiple sets of guide mechanisms are deployed around the perimeter. The platform is suitable for Arctic ice environments with a thickness of 2m and can stably submerge at a depth of 5m below the ice. The platform has a weight of 80,000 tons and a rated crude oil carrying capacity of 460,000 tons. The piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module is installed inside a submersible transport platform compatible with dual power modes. It includes multiple sets of piston-type oil tanks separated by partitions. Each set of oil tanks is 300m long, 90m wide, and 20m high, with a total volume of 540,000 cubic meters. Each set of oil tanks is equipped with an axially sliding main oil piston, an auxiliary push-pull cleaning piston, and a rotary cleaning piston with a self-rotating cleaning structure. The multimodal three-dimensional collaborative operation module includes an ice surface operation unit, an aerial protection and supply unit, and an underwater detection formation unit. The ice surface operation unit includes an ice surface hovercraft command ship serving as the overall command center. The aerial protection and supply unit includes two or more helicopters for protection and supply, and two fixed-wing supply aircraft for patrol, protection, and supply. The underwater detection formation unit includes four lead unmanned surface vessels (USVs), multiple flanking USVs, and multiple underwater forward-probing USVs. The underwater communication and navigation module includes a multi-channel underwater sonar communication unit mounted on an underwater squad leader unmanned surface vessel (USV), an ice-underwater networking relay unit, and a three-in-one detection and navigation unit. The ice-surface hovercraft establishes two-way communication with the underwater squad leader USV through the underwater sonar system. The squad leader USV connects all underwater unmanned vehicles with a submersible transport platform compatible with dual-power modes. The three-in-one detection and navigation unit consists of an underwater sonar detection system, a surface USV early warning system, and an aerial helicopter meteorological monitoring system. The intelligent ballast control module is linked with the ballast water tank and piston-type oil tank, and can dynamically adjust the ballast water volume and the volume of the medium in the oil tank according to the navigation conditions, adapting to both submerged navigation under ice and surface navigation. The safety protection module includes an extreme cold protection unit, a ballast water treatment unit, and an emergency rescue unit. The extreme cold protection unit relies on the surplus heat source of the power system to deploy a heat tracing structure. The ballast water treatment unit includes an oil spill collection device and a two-stage filtration device. The emergency rescue unit is linked with ice surface hovercraft and aerial helicopters.

2. The Arctic subsea transport system adaptable to both nuclear and conventional diesel power as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module also includes an oil-water isolation and protection unit. The oil-water isolation and protection unit is an airbag-type oil-water separation structure, including a pillow-shaped prefabricated airbag that matches the size of the oil tank. The bottom of the airbag is equipped with 4 sets of independent flange interfaces that connect to the bottom fixing points of the tank. When loading oil, the airbag inflates to fill the tank. After unloading oil, the airbag contracts and lies flat on the bottom of the tank. When ballasting, seawater is injected to achieve complete isolation from the oil.

3. The Arctic subsea transport system adaptable to both nuclear and conventional diesel power as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module also includes an oil-water isolation and protection unit. The oil-water isolation and protection unit is an in-situ film-forming isolation structure. It can achieve oil-water isolation by putting an expandable raw material blank into an empty oil tank, which is then inflated and pressurized to form a continuous thin-walled isolation layer covering the tank wall.

4. The Arctic subsea transport system adaptable to both nuclear and conventional diesel power as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The piston-type self-cleaning storage and transportation module also includes an oil-water isolation and protection unit. The oil-water isolation and protection unit is a grooved storage membrane isolation structure. The bottom of the oil tank is equipped with a full-length storage main groove that is 2m wide and 1m deep. The isolation membrane is laid flat in the groove, and the groove opening is equipped with a hydraulic rotating sliding steel plate cover with a sealing structure. When ballasted, the steel plate cover is closed to keep the membrane in a pressure-free safe zone.

5. The Arctic subsea transport system adaptable to both nuclear and conventional diesel power as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The underwater squad leader unmanned surface vessel is equipped with a large-capacity lithium battery pack and adopts a graded and segmented power supply mode with multiple backup power supplies, which can meet the power supply needs for continuous navigation and communication for 6,000-7,000 kilometers.

6. The Arctic subsea transport system adaptable to both nuclear and conventional diesel power as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a fleet towing transport unit, which can be a submersible transport platform compatible with dual-power mode as the main vessel, towing one or more unpowered submersible cargo barges. The main vessel undertakes crude oil trunk line transportation, while the cargo barges undertake refined oil feeder line transportation. When returning empty, the main vessel tows the barges.

7. The Arctic subsea transport system adaptable to both nuclear and conventional diesel power as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The main oil piston has a unidirectional propulsion structure and can move axially towards the bow to achieve full unloading of crude oil; the auxiliary push-pull cleaning piston can move reciprocally axially to work with the tank cleaning fluid to flush the tank walls; the rotating cleaning piston is covered with a lint-free sponge and wear-resistant cloth cleaning structure, which can simultaneously achieve high-speed rotation and axial movement to complete deep cleaning of the tank walls.

8. The Arctic subsea transport system adaptable to both nuclear and conventional diesel power as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The dual-condition control logic of the intelligent ballast control module is as follows: In the winter heavy-load outbound condition, pressurized water is added to the oil tank to control the platform's draft depth in conjunction with the crude oil weight, ensuring stable submersion at 5m below the ice; In the summer empty-load return condition, the ballast water tank outside the tank is filled with water to keep the platform in a water surface navigation state, reducing navigation resistance.

9. The Arctic subsea transport system adaptable to both nuclear and conventional diesel power as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The modular power compartment adopts a quick-change sealed compartment structure. The compartment installation interface, power output interface and control system interface of the nuclear power propulsion system are completely interchangeable with those of the conventional diesel power propulsion system, and the power mode can be quickly changed according to operational needs. The conventional diesel propulsion system is equipped with an independent polar-specific fuel tank, which adopts a vacuum insulation design and can be adapted to the Arctic environment of -50°C. The fuel reserves can meet the needs of the entire round-trip voyage on the Arctic route.

Images