Shallow water immersed tube rapid grounding system

Abstract

The application provides a shallow water immersed tube rapid bottom sitting system, and relates to the technical field of immersed tube transportation. The method comprises the following steps: a sensing unit is used for collecting transportation information of the immersed tube; a control unit is used for obtaining bottom sitting information according to the received transportation information, and sending a sinking bottom instruction after determining that a cable breaking out-of-control danger occurs according to the bottom sitting information, wherein the bottom sitting information comprises tension of a cable and motion posture information of the immersed tube, and the cable is tied to the immersed tube; and an execution unit comprises a ballast water tank installed on the immersed tube, and the execution unit is used for controlling the ballast water tank to inject water to control the immersed tube to rapidly sit on the bottom after receiving the sinking bottom instruction. The embodiment of the application can detect the state of the immersed tube in real time, and control the immersed tube to rapidly sink to the bottom after determining that the immersed tube has the cable breaking out-of-control danger, so that the problem that the out-of-control immersed tube collides with important facilities and needs to be intercepted by a tugboat is effectively avoided, the success rate of the immersed tube sitting on the bottom is high, and the collision risk is greatly reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of immersed tunnel transportation technology, and more specifically, to a shallow water immersed tunnel rapid bottoming system. Background Technology

[0002] The construction of immersed tunnels involves transporting prefabricated tunnel segments to the construction site, and then sequentially sinking these segments into their designed installation positions. Current methods for transporting immersed tunnel segments utilize floating transport, employing high-powered tugboats or specialized integrated transport and installation vessels.

[0003] However, the immersed tunnel sections are heavy and prone to cable breakage and loss of control during transportation due to external factors such as water flow fluctuations and cable breakage. Currently, when immersed tunnel sections break their cables and become uncontrollable in shallow and narrow waters, the main method of interception relies on the emergency deployment of backup tugboats. After approaching the uncontrollable tunnel section, the tugboat attempts to control its direction of movement by pulling the cable or pushing it, preventing it from colliding with important facilities such as bridges and embankments. In shallow and narrow waters, the tugboat's maneuverability is severely limited, making it impossible to quickly approach the uncontrollable tunnel section; moreover, it takes several minutes from the occurrence of cable breakage to the tugboat's positioning, during which time the tunnel section has already drifted tens of meters under the influence of water currents, resulting in an extremely low success rate of interception. In addition, the contact process between the tugboat and the uncontrollable tunnel section itself carries the risk of collision, which can easily damage both the tugboat and the uncontrollable tunnel section. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a shallow-water immersed tunnel rapid bottoming system, which can solve the problems of low success rate and easy damage to tugboats and immersed tunnels when using existing methods to intercept runaway tunnels in the event of cable breakage or loss of control. To achieve this objective, this application provides the following solutions.

[0005] According to one aspect of the embodiments of this application, a shallow water immersed tube rapid bottoming system is provided, including a sensing unit, a control unit and an execution unit installed on the immersed tube; Sensing units are used to collect transportation information of the immersed tunnel. The control unit is used to obtain bottoming information based on the received transportation information, and send a sinking command after determining that a cable breakage and loss of control has occurred based on the bottoming information. The bottoming information includes the tension of the cable and the motion posture information of the immersed tube. The cable is attached to the immersed tube. The execution unit includes a ballast water tank installed on the immersed tube. The execution unit is used to control the ballast water tank to inject water after receiving the sinking command so as to control the immersed tube to quickly sink to the bottom.

[0006] In one possible implementation, the execution unit includes a ballast water tank and an inlet valve, wherein the inlet valve is disposed on the ballast water tank and is used to control the inlet of water into the ballast water tank; The execution unit controls the immersed tube to sink rapidly to the bottom, including: The execution unit controls the opening of the inlet valve of the ballast water tank according to the sinking command to inject water into the ballast water tank.

[0007] In one possible implementation, the type of ballast water tank includes at least one of external ballast water tank and internal ballast water tank, wherein the external ballast water tank is detachably fixed to the outside of the immersed tube; The built-in ballast water tank is formed based on the cavity in the immersed tube, and some or all of the water inlet valves of the built-in ballast water tank are located at both ends of the immersed tube.

[0008] In one possible implementation, the type of ballast water tank is determined according to the transportation requirements and water transport needs corresponding to the immersed tube, and the position of the external ballast water tank on the immersed tube is determined based on the water conditions.

[0009] In one possible implementation, both ends of the immersed tube are connected to cables for traction, controlling the rapid sinking of the immersed tube to the bottom, including: Once the location of the cable break is determined, the inlet valve of the ballast water tank near the location is opened to inject water into the ballast water tank. The water injection sequence and volume of the ballast water tank correspond to the motion attitude information and water flow direction of the submerged pipe. Calculate the bottom inclination angle of the immersed tube; If it is determined that the angle of inclination of the submerged pipe relative to the bottom is the bottom inclination angle and the submerged pipe touches the bottom, then the water inlet valve is closed, the connection between the submerged pipe and the power mechanism is disconnected, and the positioning information of the submerged pipe is sent. The power mechanism is used to pull the submerged pipe.

[0010] In one possible implementation, the execution unit further includes an emergency unhooking device, which is connected to the power mechanism and the immersed tube respectively. The emergency unhooking device is used to disconnect the immersed tube from the power mechanism in the event of an emergency, including cable breakage and loss of control, or the immersed tube touching the bottom.

[0011] In one possible implementation, a tube protection unit is also included, which is installed at the bottom of the tube to protect the tube and reduce the suction force of silt during tube air flotation.

[0012] In one possible implementation, the sensing unit includes a tension sensor, an attitude sensor, a positioning module, a speed sensor, a multibeam echo sounder, and a pressure sensor. The tension sensor is mounted on the cable, the attitude sensor, the positioning module, and the speed sensor are mounted on the immersed tube, and the multibeam echo sounder and the pressure sensor are mounted on the bottom of the immersed tube.

[0013] In one possible implementation, the sending of the sinking command includes: The multibeam echo sounder is controlled to scan the underwater topography, and the target's bottom position is determined based on the scanning results. A sinking command is sent to the execution unit based on the target bottoming position.

[0014] In one possible implementation, the control unit is mounted on the immersed tube, and the judgment of the cable breakage and loss of control emergency includes: The detection of potential hazards is based on the bottoming information, including at least one of the following: cable breakage, overload, fluctuation, drift, yaw, and instability. If so, the risk level is determined based on the aforementioned danger, and if the risk level is a preset level, a cable breakage and loss of control danger is determined to have occurred.

[0015] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided in this application are: The shallow-water immersed tunnel rapid bottoming system provided in this application includes: a sensing unit for collecting transportation information of the immersed tunnel; a control unit for obtaining bottoming information based on the received transportation information, and sending a bottoming command after determining that a cable breakage and loss of control has occurred based on the bottoming information, the bottoming information including the tension of the cable and the motion attitude information of the immersed tunnel, the cable being attached to the immersed tunnel; and an execution unit including a ballast water tank installed on the immersed tunnel, the execution unit controlling the ballast water tank to inject water to control the immersed tunnel to quickly bottom after receiving the bottoming command. This embodiment of the application can detect the status of the immersed tunnel in real time, and control the immersed tunnel to quickly bottom after determining that a cable breakage and loss of control has occurred, thereby effectively avoiding the problem of the out-of-control immersed tunnel colliding with important facilities and requiring the use of tugboats for interception. The success rate of bottoming the immersed tunnel is high and the collision risk is significantly reduced. Attached Figure Description

[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments of this application will be briefly introduced below.

[0017] Figure 1 This is a top view of the shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 A bottom view of the shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a front view of the shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system provided in the embodiments of this application; Figure 4 A schematic diagram illustrating the installation of the built-in ballast water tank provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 5 This is a flowchart illustrating the working process of the shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system provided in the embodiments of this application. Figure 6 A schematic diagram of the immersed tube bottom provided in an embodiment of this application; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of an emergency unhooking device provided in an embodiment of this application.

[0018] 1. Submerged pipe; 2. Ballast water tank; 21. Water inlet; 22. Internal ballast water tank; 31. Belt; 32. Quick-release device; 4. Stabilizing pad; 5. Convenient fixing bracket; 61. Connection hole; 62. Electromagnet; 63. Hook; 631. Connection groove; 64. Rotating shaft; 65. Pin. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The embodiments of this application are described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary descriptions for explaining the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions of the embodiments of this application.

[0020] Those skilled in the art will understand that, unless specifically stated otherwise, the singular forms “a,” “an,” “the,” and “the” used herein may also include the plural forms. It should be further understood that the terms “comprising” and “including” as used in embodiments of this application mean that the corresponding feature can be implemented as the presented feature, information, data, step, operation, element, and / or component, but do not exclude implementation as other features, information, data, step, operation, element, component, and / or combinations thereof supported by the art. It should be understood that when we say that an element is “connected” or “coupled” to another element, the one element can be directly connected or coupled to the other element, or it can mean that the one element and the other element establish a connection relationship through an intermediate element. Furthermore, “connected” or “coupled” as used herein can include wireless connection or wireless coupling. The term “and / or” as used herein indicates at least one of the items defined by the term; for example, “A and / or B” indicates implementation as “A,” or implementation as “A,” or implementation as “A and B.”

[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this application clearer, the embodiments of this application will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] The technical solutions of this application and their effects are described below through several exemplary embodiments. It should be noted that the following embodiments can be referenced, borrowed from, or combined with each other. Identical terms, similar features, and similar implementation steps in different embodiments will not be repeated.

[0023] The shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system provided in this application aims to solve at least one technical problem existing in the prior art.

[0024] In this embodiment, the bottom-sitting system of this application can be used in rivers, coastal areas and other shallow water areas where the immersed tube 1 can be quickly retrieved after being bottomed (e.g., after the immersed tube 1 is bottomed, at least one end of the immersed tube 1 is at a height that is easy to retrieve).

[0025] Optionally, such as Figures 1-7 (The dotted lines in the diagram indicate obscured objects.) As shown, the shallow-water immersed tunnel 1 rapid bottoming system of this application includes a sensing unit, a control unit, and an execution unit installed on the immersed tunnel 1. The sensing unit is used to collect transportation information of the immersed tunnel 1. The control unit is used to obtain bottoming information based on the received transportation information, and to send a bottoming command after determining that a cable breakage and loss of control has occurred based on the bottoming information. The bottoming information includes the tension of the cable and the motion posture information of the immersed tunnel 1, with the cable attached to the immersed tunnel 1. The execution unit includes a ballast water tank 2 installed on the immersed tunnel 1. After receiving the bottoming command, the execution unit controls the ballast water tank 2 to inject water to control the immersed tunnel 1 to quickly bottom. This application can change passive interception to active bottoming, eliminating the huge kinetic energy of the out-of-control immersed tunnel 1 within seconds, preventing it from colliding with important facilities, and reducing the damage caused by the out-of-control immersed tunnel 1.

[0026] Optionally, to facilitate subsequent salvage of the submerged tube 1, it can be positioned with one end touching the bottom and the other end floating on the water surface or above the bottom. The floating end of the submerged tube 1 can be equipped with a device (such as a cable, hook 63, etc.) to facilitate traction or salvage.

[0027] Optionally, to facilitate the collection of transportation information related to the immersed tunnel 1, the sensing unit includes a tension sensor, an attitude sensor, a positioning module, a speed sensor, a multibeam echo sounder, and a pressure sensor. The tension sensor is mounted on the cable, the attitude sensor, positioning module, and speed sensor are mounted on the immersed tunnel 1, and the multibeam echo sounder and pressure sensor are mounted on the bottom of the immersed tunnel 1. Specifically, the tension sensor can detect the tension information of the cable, the attitude sensor can detect the motion attitude of the immersed tunnel 1 (such as whether it tilts or sinks), the positioning module can obtain the real-time position of the immersed tunnel 1, the speed sensor can obtain the speed of the immersed tunnel 1, the multibeam echo sounder can detect water depth, underwater topography, and other information, and the pressure sensor can detect the pressure on the bottom of the immersed tunnel 1.

[0028] Optionally, the sensing unit can transmit the collected transportation information to the control unit via wired or wireless transmission. The control unit then uses this transportation information to detect whether a hazard exists and the type of hazard.

[0029] In one embodiment, the attitude sensor can be a gyroscope, inclinometer, or other sensors capable of detecting the attitude of the immersed tube 1. The positioning module can include BeiDou, GPS, and other sensors capable of positioning.

[0030] Optionally, to prevent water ingress, the control unit can be housed in a waterproof, sealed control box, which can be installed above the immersed tube 1 to further reduce the possibility of the control unit coming into contact with water. The control unit may include a control module and a data acquisition module. The control module may have a logic judgment program to determine whether a hazard has occurred and its type. The data acquisition module can be connected to a sensing unit, receiving transport information transmitted from the sensing unit and sending this information to the control module. This transport information may include parameters such as the inclination angle, position, speed, distance from the seabed (e.g., riverbed), and water depth of the immersed tube 1.

[0031] In one embodiment, the control module can be an embedded industrial computer containing a logic judgment program. Both the embedded industrial computer and the data acquisition module are housed within a control box. The control box can be detachably and securely mounted on the immersed tube 1. After the transportation of the immersed tube 1 is completed, the control box is disassembled and installed on the next set of immersed tubes 1 to be installed, thus saving system costs.

[0032] Optionally, a tension sensor can be installed on the power mechanism (such as a tugboat) and the immersed tube 1. The power mechanism and the immersed tube 1 can be connected by a cable. The tension sensor detects the tension on the cable and sends it to the control module. The control module monitors the changes in mooring cable force in real time based on the detection data from the tension sensor. The control module can also obtain the relative position and motion attitude (such as speed and direction of motion) of the immersed tube 1 in real time through data from the positioning module and attitude sensor.

[0033] Optionally, the execution unit includes a ballast water tank 2 and an inlet valve. The inlet valve is installed on the ballast water tank 2 and is used to control the water intake of the ballast water tank 2. The execution unit controls the sinking pipe 1 to sink quickly, including: the execution unit controls the inlet valve of the ballast water tank 2 to open to inject water into the ballast water tank 2 according to the sinking command.

[0034] Optionally, the ballast water tank 2 can use a steel-sealed door, with an air vent at the top. When the inlet valve is opened, the air vent also opens, allowing for rapid water intake of the ballast water tank 2 using the water pressure difference. The inlet valve can be a hydraulic valve.

[0035] Optionally, the ballast water tank 2 may include at least one of external ballast water tank and internal ballast water tank 22. The external ballast water tank may be detachably fixed to the outside of the immersed tube 1. The internal ballast water tank 22 may be formed based on the cavity in the immersed tube 1. Some or all of the water inlet valves of the internal ballast water tank 22 may be provided at both ends of the immersed tube 1.

[0036] Optionally, the external ballast water tank can be detachably fixed to the outside of the immersed tube 1, while the internal ballast water tank 22 can be installed inside the immersed tube 1. The internal ballast water tank 22 can divide the interior of the immersed tube 1 into multiple compartments, each of which can be separated by partition walls (such as steel sealing doors). The water inlet valve and air outlet can be located on the outermost partition wall. The actuator can control one or more partition walls to open as needed when the immersed tube 1 is bottomed.

[0037] In one embodiment, the external ballast tank can be equipped with a dedicated installation and fixing device to secure it. Specifically, this installation and fixing device can be a belt 31 or a convenient fixing bracket 5 (e.g., one that can be quickly disassembled, folded, and carried). The external ballast tank is fixed to the belt 31, which is fitted onto the immersed tube 1. The two ends of the belt 31 can be connected at the top of the tube section using a plug-in fixing method (e.g., using a quick-plug device 32 to connect the two ends of the belt 31). The tightness of the external ballast tank during fixing can be adjusted by adjusting the length of the belt 31. The belt 31 can be adjusted to accommodate external ballast tanks of different sizes to ensure effective fixing of different ballast tanks 2.

[0038] Optionally, an inlet 21 (which can also serve as an outlet) can be provided on the external ballast water tank, and an inlet valve (such as a hydraulic valve) can be provided on the inlet 21 to control the water intake and discharge of the ballast water tank 2. The size of the inlet valve can be determined according to the capacity of the ballast water tank 2 and the water filling requirements (such as filling the ballast water tank 2 with water within 5-10 minutes).

[0039] Optionally, the immersed tube 1 may also be provided with a water inlet 21 that communicates with the compartment of the built-in ballast water tank 22. This water inlet 21 can be used to achieve rapid water injection and drainage. The water inlet 21 can be located at the bottom of the immersed tube 1. Furthermore, to prevent the immersed tube 1 from being used after installation, the water inlet 21 can be sealed with concrete or other sealing materials after the immersed tube 1 is connected.

[0040] In one embodiment, a modified internal ballast water tank 22 is used inside the immersed tube 1. This internal ballast water tank 22 directly utilizes the enclosed space within the immersed tube 1 (the size of which is sufficient to ensure that the buoyancy of the entire tube section is zero when fully filled with water (i.e., ensuring that the tube section sits on the bottom). The tube section is divided into compartments at both ends (not the sides), ensuring that both compartments can be filled with water. Water is introduced into the compartments by controlling the corresponding inlet valves on both sides, and the water inlet volume is adjusted to ensure that the immersed tube 1 rises and sits on the bottom. After the immersed tube 1 is connected, the inlet holes 21 are sealed during the pouring of the ballast concrete for the immersed tube 1.

[0041] Optionally, the type of ballast tank 2 is determined based on the transportation requirements and water transport needs corresponding to the immersed tube 1, and the position of the external ballast tank on the immersed tube 1 is determined based on the water conditions. Specifically, when the water area is small and shallow, the immersed tube 1 can be modified to have an internal ballast tank 22. When the water depth and water area meet the transportation requirements (such as accommodating large-scale transportation of the immersed tube 1, or the water depth being greater than the length of the immersed tube 1), an external ballast tank can be used, eliminating the need to modify the immersed tube 1 and saving costs.

[0042] Optionally, the water area conditions can include water depth and width, allowing the external ballast tank to be fixed at different positions on the immersed tube 1 based on these parameters. Specifically, when the water depth is greater than the length of the immersed tube 1 and the width is less than a preset value, it is fixed at the bottom of the immersed tube 1; when the water depth is shallow and the width is large, it is fixed on the side of the immersed tube 1. When both the water depth and width are relatively small, the immersed tube 1 can be modified to house an internal ballast tank 22.

[0043] Optionally, after the immersed tube 1 is seated, in order to protect the immersed tube 1 and prevent it from being damaged by impact, the seating system also includes a immersed tube 1 protection unit. The immersed tube 1 protection unit is installed at the bottom of the immersed tube 1 and is used to protect the immersed tube 1 and reduce the suction force of silt during the air flotation of the immersed tube 1.

[0044] In one embodiment, the protection unit for the immersed tube 1 can be a rubber sleeper, which can be installed as a stabilizing pad 4 at the bottom of the immersed tube 1. The stabilizing pad 4 can be arranged longitudinally or laterally along the length of the immersed tube 1. The laterally arranged stabilizing pad 4 can be positioned below the external ballast water tank. Furthermore, the laterally arranged stabilizing pad 4 can intersect with the longitudinally arranged stabilizing pad 4, and the length of the longitudinally arranged stabilizing pad 4 is the same as the length of the immersed tube 1.

[0045] Optionally, the judgment of cable breakage and loss of control risk includes: detecting whether a risk has occurred based on the bottoming information, and the risk includes at least one of cable breakage, overload, fluctuation, drift, yaw, and instability; if so, the risk level is determined based on the risk, and when the risk level is the preset level, it is determined that a cable breakage and loss of control risk has occurred.

[0046] In one embodiment, the control module determines the category of the hazard based on the bottoming information. Specifically: a broken cable is characterized by a sudden drop in cable tension to zero for more than 0.5 seconds; overload is characterized by a cable tension reading exceeding a preset safety threshold and continuously increasing; fluctuation is characterized by an unstable cable tension reading with noticeable fluctuations; drift is characterized by a continuous and abrupt change in the displacement speed of the immersed tube 1, with the tube segment's movement path deviating from the predetermined path by 5 meters; yaw is characterized by no significant change in the movement speed of the immersed tube 1, but the movement path deviating from the predetermined path by 5 meters; and instability is characterized by an unstable movement direction of the immersed tube 1.

[0047] Optionally, sending the sinking command includes: controlling the multibeam echo sounder to scan the underwater topography, determining the target's bottoming position based on the scanning results, and sending the sinking command to the execution unit based on the target's bottoming position.

[0048] Optionally, the preset algorithm can be any one of the following: a terrain complexity classification algorithm, a real-time terrain matching and optimization algorithm, or an engineering constraint matching algorithm. The terrain complexity classification algorithm calculates parameters such as slope and undulation of the underwater surface using multibeam echo sounding data, classifying the terrain into three categories: flat, general, and complex. Based on the classification results, it prioritizes areas with a slope less than a preset threshold (e.g., 1.5°) and a continuous area that meets the dimensions of the immersed tube 1, selecting the nearest area within this category as the target landing position. The real-time terrain matching and optimization algorithm uses rolling circle transform to filter the echo sounding data in real time, preserving micro-topographic features while removing noise. After noise removal, it uses the DBSCAN clustering algorithm to identify continuous flat areas based on the echo sounding data, calculating their area, flatness, and relative position to the immersed tube 1. Combining the calculation results, water flow direction, and drift speed of the immersed tube 1, a greedy algorithm is used to select the optimal landing point, ensuring that the immersed tube 1 lands with its head up. The engineering constraint matching algorithm calculates the minimum flat area required for the immersed tube 1 to land based on the Pythagorean theorem, avoiding tilting of the tube. Furthermore, a 10%-20% terrain buffer zone is reserved to address positional deviations caused by water flow disturbances. The size of the target's bottoming position is determined by combining the minimum platform area and the terrain buffer zone. Based on this size and the underwater terrain scanning results, the target's bottoming position is then determined. After determining the target's bottoming position, the safe state of "tail end touching the bottom, top of the tube exposed" can be locked in using the asymmetric ballast tank 2 water injection logic (the water injection volume at both ends of the immersed tube 1 is inconsistent) and the bottoming attitude algorithm (such as PDI phase deviation indication).

[0049] In one embodiment, cable breakage is represented as A, overload as B, fluctuation as C, drift as D, yaw as E, and instability as F. Based on the occurrence of these hazards, three risk levels can be classified, represented by red, orange, and yellow. Specifically, a red risk level occurs when A or B&D or E&F occur; an orange risk level occurs when B or C&D or E occurs; and a yellow risk level occurs when C or D occurs. If monitoring data remains abnormal under red, orange, or yellow hazard conditions, the control system automatically determines it as a "cable breakage and loss of control" hazard and triggers the emergency procedure. After the hazard is triggered, the multibeam echo sounder installed at the bottom of immersed tube 1 is immediately activated. This sounder scans the riverbed topography below in real time and uses a preset algorithm to select the nearest flat area as the target bottoming location.

[0050] Optionally, both ends of the immersed tube 1 are connected to cables used for traction of the immersed tube 1, and the immersed tube 1 is controlled to sink to the bottom quickly, including: determining the location of the cable break, controlling the opening of the water inlet valve corresponding to the ballast water tank 2 near the location to inject water into the ballast water tank 2, the water injection sequence and water injection volume of the ballast water tank 2 corresponding to the motion attitude information and water flow direction of the immersed tube 1; calculating the bottom tilt angle of the immersed tube 1; if it is determined that the tilt angle of the immersed tube 1 relative to the bottom is the bottom tilt angle and the immersed tube 1 touches the bottom, then the water inlet valve is closed, the connection between the immersed tube 1 and the power mechanism is disconnected, the positioning information of the immersed tube 1 is sent, and the power mechanism is used to traction the immersed tube 1.

[0051] In one embodiment, in the event of a cable breakage and loss of control, the control module can issue an opening command to the built-in ballast water tank 22 at the bottom of the immersed tube 1. The inlet valve of the ballast water tank 2 is an electrically controlled valve or a large-diameter hydraulic quick-release valve, ensuring that the valve is fully opened within 1-2 seconds. River water rushes into the ballast water tank 2 instantly under the action of a huge pressure difference, realizing the rapid filling of the ballast water tank 2.

[0052] Optionally, to achieve emergency separation of the immersed tube 1 from the power mechanism, the execution unit also includes an emergency unhooking device. The emergency unhooking device is connected to both the power mechanism and the immersed tube 1. The emergency unhooking device is used to disconnect the immersed tube 1 from the power mechanism in case of an emergency, including cable breakage, loss of control, or the immersed tube 1 touching the bottom. Upon receiving a unhooking command from the control unit, the execution unit can control the emergency unhooking device to quickly disconnect the immersed tube 1 from the power mechanism.

[0053] In one embodiment, the emergency release device may include a hook 63, an electromagnet 62, a pin 65, a body, and a rotating shaft 64. The pin 65 can be fixed to one side of the hook 63. The body has a connection hole 61 through which the emergency release device is fixed to the power mechanism. The rotating shaft 64 is fixed to one side of the body. One end of the hook 63 connected to the pin 65 is rotatably fixed to the rotating shaft 64. The hook 63 has a connection groove 631 near the power mechanism. One end of the cable is sleeved on the hook 63 and passes through the connection groove 631. There can be two electromagnets 62, positioned on one side of the hook 63. The pin 65 passes through one electromagnet 62 and then inserts into the groove of the other electromagnet 62. The pin 65 can be made of iron. When the electromagnets 62 are energized, the two electromagnets 62 attract each other, and the pin 65 inserts into the groove of the electromagnet 62. The hook 63 cannot rotate because the pin 65 is fixed in place. After the power is cut off, the electromagnet 62 separates, the pin 65 disengages from the groove, the hook 63 rotates, and the cable disengages from the connecting groove 631, thereby releasing the cable and disconnecting the power mechanism from the sinking tube 1.

[0054] Optionally, both ends of the immersed tube 1 can be connected to the power mechanism via cables. In the event of a cable break and loss of control, the control module can determine the location of the cable break based on the change in tension, and control the water filling method of the ballast water tank 2 based on the location of the cable break (such as which ballast water tank 2 is filled and the filling speed). The cable break method includes two forms: symmetrical (the front and rear cables break simultaneously, which is less likely) and asymmetrical (the front and rear cables break at one end).

[0055] Optionally, after determining the target bottoming position, the current movement speed (water flow speed) of the immersed tube 1 and the distance between the immersed tube 1 and the target bottoming position can also be obtained. Based on the movement speed and distance, the time and speed of filling the ballast water tank 2 can be calculated to determine whether the immersed tube 1 can accurately bottom at the target bottoming position.

[0056] In one embodiment, the system initializes by monitoring cable tension (detecting tension value and rate of change), attitude (position and velocity of immersed tube 1), and environment (water flow and topography) through the sensing unit. Based on the cable tension monitoring data from the sensing unit, it determines whether there are any cable tension anomalies (such as cable breakage, overload, and fluctuations), and based on the attitude monitoring results, it determines whether any motion anomalies (such as drift, yaw, and instability) have occurred, and based on the environmental monitoring results, it determines whether any anomalies have occurred. The risk level is comprehensively determined based on the above judgments. If the risk is red or orange, the control module selects the bottoming position according to the emergency procedure; if it is yellow, it records and issues a warning, and monitors whether the data continues to be abnormal; if not, it continues monitoring. If the data continues to be abnormal or the target bottoming position is determined, the control module generates a water injection plan (including which ballast tank 2 to inject water into, the water injection rate, etc.), and opens the water injection valve based on the water injection plan. After determining that immersed tube 1 has touched the bottom based on the data from the sensing unit (which can be detected by data from attitude sensors, multibeam echo sounders, and pressure sensors), and after confirming that it has touched the bottom, the execution unit performs cable disconnection and attitude locking (such as closing the water inlet valve).

[0057] In one embodiment, if the cable at the tail end of the immersed tube 1 breaks, to facilitate subsequent rescue and avoid damage to the tube head from silt penetration, a "head-up" bottoming method is adopted—that is, the tail end of the immersed tube 1 touches the bottom while the top of the tube remains above the water surface. The control unit prioritizes rapidly injecting water into the ballast tank 2 at the end of the immersed tube 1 closest to the direction of loss of control (usually the tail end), causing that end to lose buoyancy and sink first. The specific water injection sequence and volume can be dynamically adjusted based on the real-time monitoring of the attitude of the immersed tube 1 and the direction of water flow (mainly the direction of water flow, ensuring that the tube section's sinking attitude forms a preset angle with the water flow). Based on the water depth data monitored by the multibeam echo sounder and the length of the immersed tube 1, the Pythagorean theorem is applied to calculate the tilt angle of the immersed tube 1, ensuring that the head of the immersed tube 1 is slightly above the water surface. To ensure the safety of the entire immersed tube 1, the preset angle is no greater than 10°. The tail end of the immersed tube 1 slowly contacts the riverbed, while the head end of the immersed tube 1 still maintains a certain buoyancy, ensuring that the top of the tube remains above the water surface for subsequent positioning and rescue. The moment the submerged tube 1 touches the bottom (e.g., upon contact with the mudline at the bottom of the water), the bottom contact sensor (pressure switch or strain sensor) installed at the bottom of the tube sends a signal, automatically triggering the following actions: All cables connecting the tugboat are instantly cut off by the emergency unhooking device to prevent the immersed tube 1 from being accidentally dragged and displaced by the tugboat; The inlet valves of some ballast water tanks 2 automatically closed, locking the submerged tube 1 in its bottoming position; The Beidou / GPS positioning module at the top of the immersed tube 1 sends the bottom position coordinates and attitude information to the monitoring center.

[0058] This application has the following beneficial effects: (1) Turning passive into active and eliminating danger from the root: This application transforms the traditional idea of ​​"passive interception" into "active bottoming". Within seconds after the cable breaks, the immersed tube 1 can actively sink and sit on the bottom, releasing its huge kinetic energy on the spot, and completely eliminating the safety threat of the out-of-control immersed tube 1 to important facilities such as downstream bridges, dams, and water intakes.

[0059] (2) Extremely fast response and high reliability: The system utilizes ballast water tank 2 and large-diameter inlet valves to achieve rapid response. From the identification of the hazard to the control unit issuing the water injection start command, it only takes 1-2 seconds, and the water injection is completed in only 5-10 seconds, which is dozens of times faster than calling a backup tugboat (which usually takes several minutes). The system is fully automated, avoiding delays caused by human judgment and operation.

[0060] (3) The bottoming posture is controllable, avoiding secondary damage: Through the asymmetric ballast design, the immersed tube 1 is placed on the bottom in the preset "head up" posture, which not only ensures that the top of the tube is exposed above the water surface for easy subsequent rescue and positioning, but also avoids the dilemma of the tube head being vertically inserted into the silt, resulting in structural damage or inability to be salvaged.

[0061] (4) High level of intelligence and adaptability to complex working conditions: The system integrates functions such as automatic identification of danger, automatic screening of the best bottom position, and dynamic adjustment of the water injection process. It can adapt to complex working conditions with different water flow conditions, different riverbed topography and different immersed tube structures, and has strong versatility and adaptability.

[0062] (5) The system is independent and does not affect normal operation: The emergency system is independent of the normal floating system of immersed tube 1. Ballast water tank 2 is empty under normal conditions, does not participate in buoyancy calculation, and does not affect the normal floating performance of immersed tube 1. All system equipment adopts waterproof and corrosion-resistant design and can be used reliably for a long time.

[0063] The terms "first," "second," "third," "fourth," "1," "2," etc. (if present) in the specification, claims, and accompanying drawings of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and are not necessarily used to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such data can be interchanged where appropriate so that the embodiments of this application described herein can be implemented in a sequence other than that shown in the illustrations or text descriptions.

[0064] It should be understood that although arrows indicate various operation steps in the flowcharts of this application's embodiments, the order in which these steps are implemented is not limited to the order indicated by the arrows. Unless explicitly stated herein, in some implementation scenarios of this application's embodiments, the implementation steps in each flowchart can be executed in other orders as required. Furthermore, some or all steps in each flowchart, based on the actual implementation scenario, may include multiple sub-steps or multiple stages. Some or all of these sub-steps or stages can be executed at the same time, and each sub-step or stage can also be executed at different times. In scenarios where execution times differ, the execution order of these sub-steps or stages can be flexibly configured according to requirements, and this application's embodiments do not limit this.

[0065] The above description is only an optional implementation method for some implementation scenarios of this application. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, other similar implementation methods based on the technical concept of this application without departing from the technical concept of this application also fall within the protection scope of the embodiments of this application.

Claims

1. A shallow-water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system, characterized in that, It includes a sensing unit, a control unit, and an execution unit installed on the immersed tube; Sensing units are used to collect transportation information of the immersed tunnel. The control unit is used to obtain bottoming information based on the received transportation information, and send a sinking command after determining that a cable breakage and loss of control has occurred based on the bottoming information. The bottoming information includes the tension of the cable and the motion posture information of the immersed tube. The cable is attached to the immersed tube. The execution unit includes a ballast water tank installed on the immersed tube. The execution unit is used to control the ballast water tank to inject water after receiving the sinking command so as to control the immersed tube to quickly sink to the bottom.

2. The shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The execution unit includes a ballast water tank and an inlet valve. The inlet valve is installed on the ballast water tank and is used to control the water intake of the ballast water tank. The execution unit controls the immersed tube to sink rapidly to the bottom, including: The execution unit controls the opening of the inlet valve of the ballast water tank according to the sinking command to inject water into the ballast water tank.

3. The shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ballast water tank includes at least one of external ballast water tanks and internal ballast water tanks, and the external ballast water tank can be detachably fixed to the outside of the immersed tube; The built-in ballast water tank is formed based on the cavity in the immersed tube, and some or all of the water inlet valves of the built-in ballast water tank are set at both ends of the immersed tube.

4. The shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system according to claim 3, characterized in that, The type of ballast water tank is determined according to the transportation requirements and water transport needs corresponding to the immersed tube, and the position of the external ballast water tank on the immersed tube is determined based on the water conditions.

5. The shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system according to claim 4, characterized in that, Both ends of the immersed tube are connected to cables used for traction, controlling the tube to sink quickly to the bottom, including: Once the location of the cable break is determined, the inlet valve of the ballast water tank near the location is opened to inject water into the ballast water tank. The water injection sequence and volume of the ballast water tank correspond to the motion attitude information and water flow direction of the submerged pipe. Calculate the bottom inclination angle of the immersed tube; If it is determined that the angle of inclination of the submerged pipe relative to the bottom is the bottom inclination angle and the submerged pipe touches the bottom, then the water inlet valve is closed, the connection between the submerged pipe and the power mechanism is disconnected, and the positioning information of the submerged pipe is sent. The power mechanism is used to pull the submerged pipe.

6. The shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system according to claim 5, characterized in that, The execution unit also includes an emergency unhooking device, which is connected to the power mechanism and the immersed tube respectively. The emergency unhooking device is used to disconnect the immersed tube from the power mechanism in case of an emergency, including cable breakage and loss of control, or the immersed tube touching the bottom.

7. The shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a submerged tube protection unit, which is installed at the bottom of the submerged tube to protect the submerged tube and reduce the suction force of silt during the air flotation of the submerged tube.

8. The shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sensing unit includes a tension sensor, an attitude sensor, a positioning module, a speed sensor, a multibeam echo sounder, and a pressure sensor. The tension sensor is installed on the cable, the attitude sensor, the positioning module, and the speed sensor are installed on the immersed tube, and the multibeam echo sounder and the pressure sensor are installed at the bottom of the immersed tube.

9. The shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system according to claim 8, characterized in that, The sending of the sinking command includes: The multibeam echo sounder is controlled to scan the underwater topography, and the target's bottom position is determined based on the scanning results. A sinking command is sent to the execution unit based on the target bottoming position.

10. The shallow water submerged pipe rapid bottoming system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control unit is installed on the immersed tube, and the judgment of the cable breakage and loss of control hazard includes: The detection of potential hazards is based on the bottoming information, including at least one of the following: cable breakage, overload, fluctuation, drift, yaw, and instability. If so, the risk level is determined based on the aforementioned danger, and if the risk level is a preset level, a cable breakage and loss of control danger is determined to have occurred.

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