Novel pile leg butt joint coupling system and float-over installation method

Abstract

The present application belongs to the technical field of offshore engineering float-over installation, and particularly relates to a new type of pile leg butt joint coupling system and a float-over installation method. The present application provides a new type of pile leg butt joint coupling system, a hydraulic jacking device is fixed in the interior of a jacket main leg, and a pile leg butt joint coupling device is rigidly connected with a piston rod. During installation, after a barge loads an upper block in place, the upper block is inserted and the pile leg butt joint coupling device is butt jointed through the jacking of the hydraulic jacking device, and the load transfer can be completed without complex barge loading adjustment. The jacking height is dynamically adjusted according to the pressure sensor throughout the process, so as to ensure the block level. After the load transfer is completed, the barge is withdrawn, the sleeve is clamped in the jacket main leg through pressure relief of the hydraulic device, and the installation is completed. The present application reduces the requirements for the barge, water depth and weather window, effectively improves the construction fault tolerance and efficiency, and widens the float-over installation application scenarios.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of marine engineering floating installation construction technology, and in particular relates to a novel pile leg docking coupling system and floating installation method. Background Technology

[0002] As offshore wind farms continue to grow in scale, the size, weight, and integration of key equipment such as offshore booster stations and offshore converter stations are also increasing. The weight of a single superstructure module generally exceeds 10,000 tons, and some large converter stations even approach 20,000 tons. Such a massive installation load places unprecedentedly stringent requirements on offshore installation equipment and construction processes.

[0003] Currently, the mainstream method for installing large offshore platforms is the lifting method, which heavily relies on large-tonnage crane vessels. However, globally, there are very few engineering vessels with lifting capabilities exceeding 10,000 tons, resulting in high costs, difficult scheduling, and persistently high operating expenses. The world's largest crane vessel currently has a maximum lifting capacity of 20,000 tons, while China's top crane vessels have a maximum lifting capacity of 12,000 tons. Even so, when dealing with ultra-large topside modules, problems remain, including insufficient lifting capacity, high operational risks, and difficulty in controlling positioning accuracy. In complex marine environments, lifting operations are easily affected by wind, waves, and currents, leading to uneven stress on lifting points, module swaying, and collisions, resulting in significant safety hazards and a substantial decrease in construction efficiency and economy. Therefore, traditional lifting methods are no longer sufficient to meet the demands of large-scale offshore platform construction in the open ocean, necessitating safer, more efficient, and lower-cost installation technologies.

[0004] Floating overlay installation, with its advantages of high load-bearing capacity, high efficiency, and low cost, has gradually become the preferred solution for installing large offshore platforms, among which the high-position floating overlay method is the most widely used. The high-position floating overlay method relies on a barge ballast system for ballast and depressurization, achieving a smooth transfer of the weight of the superstructure from the barge to the jacket structure, resulting in high overall reliability. However, in practical engineering applications, the high-level floating method has significant technical shortcomings: First, the high center of gravity of the upper module places extremely high demands on the stability, ballast capacity, and motion control of the installation barge, usually requiring customized barges, which significantly increases equipment costs and preparation time; Second, the docking and load transfer process is lengthy and sensitive to weather conditions. In areas with complex sea conditions, the effective construction window is short and its utilization rate is low, severely restricting the construction progress; Third, it has poor adaptability to shallow waters, and draft and module height restrictions prevent large modules from being positioned, limiting its application scenarios; Fourth, during the load adjustment process, the barge is prone to pitching, rolling, and heave movements, which not only increase the docking difficulty but also generate instantaneous impact loads on the jacket structure, increasing construction risks; Fifth, during dual-boat floating operations, the coordination between the boat and machinery is complex, the coordination precision requirements are high, and the on-site organization and control are difficult.

[0005] Therefore, developing a new type of pile leg docking coupling system to achieve floating installation technology that is free from the complex load adjustment of barges, adapts to shallow waters, reduces the requirements of ships, machinery and sea conditions, and improves construction efficiency and fault tolerance has become a key technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in the field of offshore wind power engineering. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To address the aforementioned challenges, this invention provides a floating installation method and device based on a novel pile leg docking coupling system, which enables active load transfer without complex load adjustment, reduces the requirements for ship machinery and water depth, and improves construction efficiency and fault tolerance.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: In a first aspect, the present invention provides a novel pile-leg docking coupling system, which is applied to an offshore platform. The offshore platform includes at least a jacket, a transport barge, and an upper module disposed on the transport barge. The novel pile-leg docking coupling system includes a pile-leg docking coupling device and a hydraulic jacking device. The pile-leg docking coupling device is disposed on the upper part of the jacket, and the hydraulic jacking device is disposed inside the jacket and rigidly connected to the main leg of the jacket. The pile leg docking coupling device includes a sleeve, a sand box, a partition, a first buffer, a second buffer, and a tip receiver for guiding the tip of the upper assembly into place. The sleeve is the vertical main supporting shell of the pile leg docking coupling device, with a coaxial cylindrical structure, providing installation reference and constraint space for all internal components. The bottom of the pile leg docking coupling device is rigidly connected to a hydraulic jacking device through a cavity, and the cavity is equipped with reinforcing ribs. Above the cavity is a sand box, which is equipped with a sand discharge system. The partition is a circular structure, with the bottom of the central cavity sealed with a steel plate, the inside of the ring filled with concrete, and a tip receiver fixed at the top of the central cavity. The outer edge of the partition... The first buffer is coaxially fitted with the inner wall of the sleeve; it isolates the sand box from the first buffer; the first buffer is coaxially assembled between the bottom end face of the plug tip receiver and the upper surface of the partition plate around the cylindrical structure at the bottom of the plug tip receiver, and the upper and lower ends of the first buffer are respectively connected to the bottom end of the plug tip receiver and the upper surface of the partition plate; the second buffer is fixed circumferentially in the annular gap between the inner wall of the top of the sleeve and the lower edge of the plug tip receiver, and the second buffer is fixed to the plug tip receiver with bolts; the plug tip receiver is fixed to the top end of the sleeve and has a flared structure that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, which is used to guide the plug tip of the upper block to be aligned and introduced; The hydraulic lifting device includes at least a piston rod and a hydraulic cylinder. The piston rod is coaxially mounted inside the hydraulic cylinder and can reciprocate and extend along the inner cavity of the hydraulic cylinder. The sleeve is rigidly connected to the piston rod.

[0008] In this invention, the jacket is the lower support structure of an offshore platform, sitting on the seabed and extending upwards to above the sea surface. The main legs of the jacket are rigidly fixed with hydraulic lifting devices to support the upper modules.

[0009] The main structure of the pile leg docking coupling device in the novel pile leg docking coupling system of this invention includes a sleeve, a sand box, a partition, a first buffer, a second buffer, and a tip receiver for guiding the tip of the upper component into place. The sleeve is the vertical main bearing shell of the pile leg docking coupling device, with a coaxial cylindrical structure, providing installation reference and constraint space for all built-in components. The bottom is rigidly connected to the hydraulic jacking device to a cavity that is locked to the pile leg of the guide frame, and has reinforcing ribs inside. Above this cavity is the sand box, which is filled with strictly screened sand. The sand box is equipped with a sand discharge system and is the core execution component for pre-loading leveling, load transfer, and final unloading in the floating installation method. The partition is a circular structure with a steel plate sealing the bottom of the central cavity. The inside of the ring is filled with concrete, and a cylindrical structure at the bottom of the tip receiver is fixed to the top of the central cavity. The partition is placed horizontally on the sand surface, and the outer edge of the partition is coaxially fitted with the inner wall of the sleeve, isolating the sand box from the first buffer. The first buffer... The first buffer component is coaxially assembled between the bottom end face of the plug tip receiver and the upper surface of the partition plate, with its upper and lower ends connected to the bottom end of the plug tip receiver and the upper surface of the partition plate, respectively. It mainly bears the vertical impact load during the docking process and achieves longitudinal buffering and limiting. The second buffer component is fixed circumferentially in the annular gap between the inner wall of the top of the sleeve and the lower edge of the plug tip receiver. The second buffer component and the plug tip receiver are fixed together with bolts, and its two sides are tightly fitted and fixed to the inner wall of the sleeve and the bottom end of the plug tip receiver, respectively. It is mainly used to buffer the horizontal load generated during the docking process and limit the lateral displacement of the plug tip of the upper block. The plug tip receiver is fixed to the top port of the sleeve and has a flared structure that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom. The lower port is precisely aligned with the inner diameter of the top of the sleeve. Its core function is to guide the plug tip of the upper block smoothly and accurately into the inner cavity of the sleeve. All components are coaxially nested and work together to ensure the stability and accuracy of the pile leg docking operation.

[0010] The tip of the upper block described in this invention is made of integral forged alloy steel, and the main body is a truncated cone shape. It is welded to the bottom of the main column of the upper block and corresponds one-to-one with the new type of pile leg coupling system at the top of the guide frame. Its axis is strictly coincident with the center line of the column and protrudes 1.5~3.0m from the bottom of the block.

[0011] Preferably, the main body of the piston rod is nested in the sealed inner cavity of the hydraulic cylinder, and the inner end of the hydraulic cylinder is fixed with a piston through a rigid connection structure. The piston divides the inner cavity of the cylinder into a rodless cavity and a rod cavity. The hydraulic cylinder is fixed inside the main leg of the guide frame to ensure that there is no relative displacement between the piston rod of the pile leg docking coupling device and the hydraulic jacking device during construction.

[0012] The hydraulic jacking device in the novel pile leg docking coupling system of this invention includes a piston rod and a hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder (cylinder assembly) serves as a fixed load-bearing base, while the piston rod acts as a moving actuator. The two are arranged in a completely coaxial nested configuration: the piston rod body is nested within the sealed inner cavity of the hydraulic cylinder barrel, with only the jacking output end exposed. The inner end of the piston rod is fixed to a piston via a rigid connection structure (such as threads or a key), which divides the inner cavity of the hydraulic cylinder barrel into two non-communicating sealed oil chambers: a rodless chamber and a rod chamber. Simultaneously, the outer edge of the piston forms a bidirectional dynamic seal with the inner wall of the hydraulic cylinder barrel through a sealing ring to isolate the two chambers and prevent oil leakage. A guide sleeve built into the end cap of the rod chamber of the hydraulic cylinder forms a high-precision sliding fit with the outer edge surface of the piston rod, providing radial support and guiding / limiting functions. The end cap is internally sealed with a set of seals. The main seal is a one-way dynamic seal (such as a U-ring), with the lip facing the rod chamber to prevent oil leakage. A dust seal is also installed on the outside of the end cap, with the lip facing the atmosphere to prevent external impurities from entering. Under normal operating conditions, the bottom of the hydraulic cylinder is fixed to the supporting foundation and remains stationary. Hydraulic oil enters the corresponding chamber through the cylinder port, and the pressure acts on the piston end face. Through the rigid connection between the piston rod and the piston, the hydraulic energy is converted into a lifting thrust along the cylinder axis. This thrust is then output from the exposed end of the piston rod to the lifted object, forming a complete closed loop of force and energy conversion, thus achieving the lifting operation.

[0013] Preferably, the first buffer is composed of 8 to 10 buffer units stacked vertically, each unit consisting of upper and lower load-bearing steel plates and a middle rubber buffer pad, used for buffering vertical loads.

[0014] Preferably, the second buffer is made of 10 to 15 layers of rubber stacked together, and is used for buffering horizontal loads.

[0015] Preferably, the novel pile leg docking coupling system further includes: a pressure sensor, which is installed on the hydraulic jacking device or the pile leg docking coupling device to monitor the load value of each stress point in real time and send the monitoring results to the control system; the control system is used to receive the monitoring results and dynamically adjust the jacking height of the hydraulic jacking device on the upper block according to the monitoring results.

[0016] Preferably, the number of pressure sensors is at least two, and they are installed at at least two positions in the upper, middle or lower part of the hydraulic jacking device or the pile leg docking coupling device.

[0017] Secondly, the present invention provides a floating installation method, which is implemented using the novel pile leg docking coupling system, and includes the following steps: S1. Place the upper module on the deck support device of the transport barge, and then drive the transport barge with the upper module into the slot of the guide frame so that the tip of the upper module is within the capture range of the new pile leg docking coupling system. S2. The hydraulic jacking device, which is arranged inside the main leg of the jacket frame and rigidly connected to the main leg of the jacket frame, actively lifts the pile leg docking coupling device, which is rigidly connected to the hydraulic jacking device, so that the tip of the upper block enters the pile leg docking coupling device to complete the docking. S3. During the continuous lifting process of the hydraulic lifting device, the load of the upper block is transferred from the transport barge to the jacket frame. After the load transfer is completed, the transport barge is withdrawn. S4. The hydraulic jacking device depressurizes and descends, causing the sleeve of the pile leg docking coupling device to lock onto the main leg of the guide frame, thus completing the installation of the upper module.

[0018] Preferably, after completing step S2, the method further includes cutting the loading fixation between the upper module and the transport barge.

[0019] Preferably, the process of withdrawing the transport barge includes: after the load has been completely transferred to the jacket, the hydraulic jacking device continues to jack up until a safe distance is formed between the lower deck of the upper module and the tooling deck support frame of the transport barge, then the hydraulic jacking device is locked, and then the barge withdrawal operation is carried out.

[0020] Compared with the prior art, the technical advantages of the present invention are as follows: (1) This invention changes the traditional mechanism of load transfer for the upper module installation using the high-level floating method. Instead of relying on the load adjustment capacity of the transport barge to transfer the upper module load to the jacket, the load transfer of the upper module is achieved through a hydraulic lifting device. On the one hand, it avoids the need to formulate a complex load adjustment scheme, and the load adjustment capacity of the transport barge is not required, thus reducing the impact load on the jacket caused by the barge movement due to load adjustment. On the other hand, it reduces the requirements of the construction weather window during the floating installation process, shortens the floating installation period, and improves the construction and installation efficiency. (2) Since the mechanism of high-level floating barge adjustment to complete the load transfer of the upper module is abandoned, the present invention does not have high requirements for the water depth of the floating sea area, and can meet the floating installation of the upper module of large offshore platform in shallow sea area. In addition, as the weight of offshore platform gradually increases, the requirements for construction vessels are also increasing. The present invention also reduces the difficulty of the cooperation of ship and machinery equipment in the dual-ship floating installation system. (3) The floating installation based on the present invention is an active load transfer, which reduces the risk of failure in the load transfer process of the high-level floating method. Its response speed in the load transfer process is much faster than that of the traditional high-level floating method. It can make timely adjustments when the docking construction is not ideal, thereby improving the error tolerance rate of the construction. Attached Figure Description

[0021] In the accompanying drawings, unless otherwise specified, the same reference numerals throughout the various drawings denote the same or similar parts or elements. These drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. It should be understood that these drawings depict only some embodiments disclosed in the invention and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention.

[0022] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the floating installation method in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the ship entry three-dimensional structure in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the floating installation vessel in place according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the floating installation vessel entering the ship in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the coupling device between the tip of the upper block and the pile leg in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the completion of load transfer in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the ship's withdrawal in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the hydraulic jacking device unloading to the bottom deck of the upper module at the design elevation in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 9 This is a three-dimensional schematic diagram of the overall structure of the novel pile leg docking coupling system in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 10 This is a top view of the novel pile leg docking coupling system in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 11 This is a side view of the novel pile leg docking coupling system in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 12 This is a front view of the novel pile leg docking coupling system in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 13 This is a cross-sectional view of the novel pile leg docking coupling system in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] In the diagram: 1-Upper module; 101-Plug tip of upper module; 2-Tooling deck support frame; 3-Jacket frame; 4-Transport barge; 5-New type of pile leg docking coupling system; 501-Pile leg docking coupling device; 502-Hydraulic jacking device; 503-Hydraulic cylinder; 504-Piston rod; 505-Sleeve; 506-Sand box; 507-Block; 508-First buffer; 509-Second buffer; 510-Plug tip receiver; 6-Deck support device; 7-Waterline. Detailed Implementation

[0024] To facilitate understanding of the present invention, a more complete description will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings; however, the invention can be implemented in many different forms and is not limited to the embodiments described herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete.

[0025] The present invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments: This invention provides a novel pile leg docking coupling system.

[0026] like Figures 2-13 As shown, the novel pile leg docking coupling system 5 provided by the present invention is applied to an offshore platform, the offshore platform including at least a jacket 3, a transport barge 4 and an upper module 1 set on the transport barge 4.

[0027] like Figures 9-13 As shown, the novel pile leg docking coupling system of the present invention includes a pile leg docking coupling device 501 and a hydraulic jacking device 502. The pile leg docking coupling device 501 is disposed on the upper part of the guide frame 3, and the hydraulic jacking device 502 is disposed inside the guide frame 3 and rigidly connected to the main leg of the guide frame 3. The pile leg docking coupling device 501 includes a sleeve 505, a sand box 506, a partition 507, a first buffer 508, a second buffer 509, and a tip receiver 510 for guiding the tip 101 of the upper module into place. The sleeve 505 is the vertical main bearing shell of the pile leg docking coupling device 501, with a coaxial cylindrical structure, providing installation reference and constraint space for all built-in components. The bottom is rigidly connected to the hydraulic jacking device 502, which is a cavity that is locked to the pile leg of the guide frame 3, and has a reinforcing rib plate inside. Above this cavity is the sand box 506, which is filled with strictly screened sand. The sand box 506 is equipped with a sand discharge system and is the core execution component for pre-loading leveling, load transfer, and final unloading in the floating method installation. The partition 507 is a circular structure, with the bottom of the central cavity sealed with a steel plate, the inside of the ring filled with concrete, and the top of the central cavity solidified. The cylindrical structure at the bottom of the tip receiver 510 is fixed. The partition plate is placed horizontally on the sand surface. The outer edge of the partition plate 507 is coaxially fitted with the inner wall of the sleeve 505, separating the sand box 506 from the first buffer member 508. The first buffer member 508 is coaxially assembled between the bottom end face of the tip receiver 510 and the upper surface of the partition plate 507 around the cylindrical structure at the bottom of the tip receiver 510. The upper and lower ends of the first buffer member 508 are respectively connected to the bottom end of the tip receiver 510 and the upper surface of the partition plate 507. The second buffer member 509 is fixed circumferentially in the annular gap between the inner wall of the top of the sleeve 505 and the lower edge of the tip receiver 510. The second buffer member 509 and the tip receiver 510 are fixed together with bolts. The tip receiver 510 is fixed to the top end of the sleeve 505 and has a flared structure that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, which is used to guide the tip of the upper module to be aligned and introduced.

[0028] In the pile leg docking coupling device of the present invention, the sand box 506 is used for energy absorption, rigid collision protection and position fine adjustment, the first buffer 508 is used for vertical load buffering, the second buffer 509 is used for horizontal load buffering, and the plug tip receiver 510 uses a conical guide structure to achieve wide-range fault-tolerant alignment, smooth introduction and horizontal constraint.

[0029] In this embodiment, the sand box 506 is a cavity formed by the partition 507 and the sleeve 505. The sand box 506 contains a sand discharge device. After the upper module is connected, a portion of the sand needs to be discharged so that the upper module can be fully applied to the guide frame 3.

[0030] The hydraulic lifting device 502 includes at least a piston rod 504 and a hydraulic cylinder 503. The piston rod is coaxially mounted inside the hydraulic cylinder and can reciprocate and extend along the inner cavity of the hydraulic cylinder.

[0031] Sleeve 505 is rigidly connected to piston rod 504.

[0032] The pile leg docking coupling device 501 is rigidly connected to the piston rod 504 of the hydraulic jacking device 502, and relative movement between the pile leg docking coupling device 501 and the piston rod 504 is not allowed during construction. The hydraulic jacking device 502 is integrally arranged inside the main leg of the offshore platform jacket 3 and is rigidly connected to the main leg of the jacket 3, and relative movement between the hydraulic cylinder 503 of the hydraulic jacking device 502 and the main leg of the jacket 3 is not allowed during construction.

[0033] The novel pile leg docking coupling system provided by this invention combines a traditional pile leg docking coupling device with a hydraulic jacking device. After the transport barge 4 enters the slot of the jacket foundation 3, the hydraulic jacking device enables the docking of the upper module with the main leg of the jacket foundation 3 and the transfer of the upper module's load. This device can achieve the docking of the upper module with the main leg of the jacket foundation 3 and the transfer of load without requiring the transport barge to perform complex load adjustment operations.

[0034] In this embodiment, the main body of the piston rod 504 is nested in the sealed inner cavity of the hydraulic cylinder 503. The inner end of the hydraulic cylinder 503 is fixed with a piston through a rigid connection structure. The piston divides the inner cavity of the hydraulic cylinder 503 into a rodless cavity and a rod cavity. The hydraulic cylinder 503 is fixed inside the main leg of the guide frame 3 to ensure that there is no relative displacement between the piston rod 504 of the pile leg docking coupling device 501 and the hydraulic jacking device 502 during construction.

[0035] In this embodiment, the first buffer is composed of 8 to 10 buffer units stacked vertically. Each unit consists of upper and lower load-bearing steel plates and a middle rubber buffer pad, which is used for buffering vertical loads.

[0036] In this embodiment, the second buffer is made of 10 to 15 layers of rubber stacked together, and is used for buffering horizontal loads.

[0037] In this embodiment, the novel pile leg docking coupling system further includes a pressure sensor, which is installed on the hydraulic jacking device 502 or the pile leg docking coupling device 501 to monitor the load value of each stress point in real time and send the monitoring results to the control system.

[0038] The control system receives monitoring results and dynamically adjusts the lifting height of the upper module by the hydraulic jacking device based on the monitoring results.

[0039] In this embodiment, there are at least two pressure sensors, which are installed at at least two locations in the upper, middle or lower part of the hydraulic jacking device or the pile leg docking coupling device.

[0040] In actual operation, the number of the novel pile-leg docking coupling system 5 of this invention deployed during the floating installation of the upper block 1 on the offshore platform is dynamically arranged according to the actual engineering needs. It is necessary to ensure that the upper block remains as horizontal as possible during load transfer, and that the load is distributed as evenly as possible across each main leg docking coupling device. After the hydraulic jacking device 502 is installed and in place, it is in a non-working state, and the sleeve 505 of the pile-leg docking coupling device 501 is precisely engaged with the main leg of the guide frame 3.

[0041] In another aspect, the present invention provides a floating installation method based on a novel pile leg docking coupling system.

[0042] Figure 1 This is a schematic flowchart of the floating installation method of the present invention.

[0043] like Figure 1-13 As shown, the floating installation method provided by the present invention, implemented using the novel pile leg docking coupling system, includes the following steps: S1. Place the upper module 1 on the deck support device 6, and then drive the transport barge 4 with the upper module 1 into the slot of the jacket 3 so that the tip 101 of the upper module is within the capture range of the new pile leg docking coupling system 5. In this step, the upper module 1 is first placed on the deck support device 6 of the transport barge 4. The deck support device is located between the upper module and the skid and has two main functions: to support the weight of the module during the land prefabrication and ship transportation process; and to buffer the impact when the transport barge separates from the module during the floating installation process.

[0044] Then, after the transport barge 4 carrying the upper module 1 is positioned in the direction of the slot of the jacket 3, the transport barge 4 carrying the upper module 1 is driven into the slot of the jacket 3 until the tip 101 of the upper module is within the capture range of the tip receiver 510 of the new pile leg docking coupling system 5. After the positioning is completed, docking is prepared.

[0045] S2. The hydraulic jacking device 502, which is arranged inside the main leg of the jacket frame 3 and rigidly connected to the main leg of the jacket frame 3, actively lifts the pile leg docking coupling device 501, which is rigidly connected to the hydraulic jacking device 502, so that the tip 101 of the upper block enters the pile leg docking coupling device 501 to complete the docking. In this step, after the positioning is completed, the hydraulic jacking device 502 of the new pile leg docking coupling system 5 begins to jack up, and the pile leg docking coupling device 501 is jacked up with the piston rod 504 of the hydraulic jacking device. During this process, it is ensured that the tip 101 of the upper block is always within the capture range of the tip receiver 510, and the initial docking of the tip of the block with the pile leg docking coupling device 501 is completed.

[0046] After the initial docking is completed, the loading and fixing cutting is required to cut off all fixed connections, so that the upper module 1, except for the support of the hydraulic lifting device 502, is no longer rigidly connected to the transport barge.

[0047] S3. During the continuous lifting process of the hydraulic lifting device 502, the load of the upper block 1 is transferred from the transport barge 4 to the jacket frame 3. After the load transfer is completed, the transport barge 4 is withdrawn. In this step, after the docking is completed, the hydraulic jacking device 502 continues to lift to transfer the load of the upper module. During the actual jacking process, the center of gravity of the upper module may not be centered, resulting in uneven stress on the pile legs. Therefore, during the jacking process, it is necessary to continuously monitor the stress on each of the new pile leg docking coupling systems 5 according to the pressure sensors inside the system. Based on the stress magnitude, efforts should be made to ensure that the stress on each pile leg is relatively consistent, so as to ensure that the platform is generally level and to avoid individual pile legs failing due to excessive pressure caused by inconsistent stress, which could lead to installation failure.

[0048] In this embodiment, after the load is completely transferred to the jacket 3, the hydraulic jacking device 502 continues to jack until the lower deck of the upper block 1 is a certain safe distance from the tooling deck support frame 2 of the transport barge 4. Then, the hydraulic jacking device 502 locks and the transport barge 4 is withdrawn.

[0049] S4. The hydraulic jacking device 502 is depressurized and lowered, so that the sleeve 505 of the pile leg docking coupling device 501 is locked on the main leg of the guide frame 3, completing the installation of the upper block 1.

[0050] The equipment used in the floating installation method of this invention includes: a superstructure 1, a DSF tooling deck support frame 2 (the core load-bearing steel structure frame on the floating installation transport barge, whose core value lies in providing stable support, coordinating movement, transferring loads, and providing an installation base for the DSU), a jacket frame 3, a transport barge 4, a novel pile leg docking coupling system 5, and a DSU deck support device 6 (the core unit that realizes flexible connection between the barge and the superstructure, buffer energy absorption, gradual load transfer, and safe separation).

[0051] The working mechanism of the novel pile-leg docking coupling system in this invention is as follows: After the upper block 1 of the offshore platform and the transport barge 4 enter the slot of the jacket 3 and are in place, the hydraulic jacking device 502 begins to lift, and the pile-leg docking coupling device 501 rises with the piston rod 504, ensuring that the tip of the upper block is always within the capture range of the tip receiver 510. After the initial docking of the tip 101 of the upper block with the pile-leg docking coupling device 501 is completed, the upper block is fixed and cut for loading onto the ship. The hydraulic jacking device 502 continues to lift, realizing the complete transfer of the load of the upper block to the jacket 3. During this process, the upper block must be kept horizontal throughout. After the upper block is lifted to a certain safe distance between the lower deck and the tooling DSF of the transport barge 4, the hydraulic jacking device 502 locks, and the transport barge 4 is withdrawn. After the transport barge 4 is withdrawn, the piston rod 504 gradually descends until the sleeve 505 of the pile-leg docking coupling device 501 is locked on the main leg of the jacket 3, completing the installation of the upper block 1.

[0052] This invention addresses the shortcomings of existing high-level floating installation methods for upper modules of offshore platforms, such as high requirements for barge loading systems, lengthy docking processes, unsuitability for shallow waters, and sensitivity to sea conditions. It proposes a platform floating installation method based on a novel pile-leg docking coupling system. On one hand, it avoids complex barge loading scheme designs and reduces the impact load on the jacket structure caused by barge movement during loading. It also allows for adjustments when docking is not ideal, improving the tolerance for errors. On the other hand, it reduces the water depth requirements and weather window requirements for large module floating installations in shallow waters. Furthermore, it significantly reduces the difficulty of dual-boat floating installations and the complexity of ship-machine collaboration within the dual-boat floating installation system. This simplifies the construction process for large offshore platform floating installations, improves construction efficiency, reduces the requirements for construction ships and equipment, and broadens the applicable scenarios for floating installations.

[0053] The various embodiments in this specification are described in a progressive manner, with each embodiment focusing on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the various embodiments can be referred to each other.

[0054] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims. All of these forms are within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A pile leg docking coupling system, characterized in that, The leg docking coupling system is applied to an offshore platform, which includes at least a jacket, a transport barge, and a superstructure mounted on the transport barge. The leg docking coupling system includes: The pile leg docking coupling device and the hydraulic jacking device are provided. The pile leg docking coupling device is located on the upper part of the guide frame, and the hydraulic jacking device is located inside the guide frame and is rigidly connected to the main leg of the guide frame. The pile leg docking coupling device includes a sleeve, a sand box, a partition, a first buffer, a second buffer, and a tip receiver for guiding the tip of the upper assembly into place. The sleeve is the vertical main supporting shell of the pile leg docking coupling device, with a coaxial cylindrical structure, providing installation reference and constraint space for all internal components. The bottom of the pile leg docking coupling device is rigidly connected to a hydraulic jacking device through a cavity, and the cavity is equipped with reinforcing ribs. Above the cavity is a sand box, which is equipped with a sand discharge system. The partition is a circular structure, with the bottom of the central cavity sealed with a steel plate, the inside of the ring filled with concrete, and a tip receiver fixed at the top of the central cavity. The outer edge of the partition... The first buffer is coaxially fitted with the inner wall of the sleeve; it isolates the sand box from the first buffer; the first buffer is coaxially assembled between the bottom end face of the plug tip receiver and the upper surface of the partition plate around the cylindrical structure at the bottom of the plug tip receiver, and the upper and lower ends of the first buffer are respectively connected to the bottom end of the plug tip receiver and the upper surface of the partition plate; the second buffer is fixed circumferentially in the annular gap between the inner wall of the top of the sleeve and the lower edge of the plug tip receiver, and the second buffer is fixed to the plug tip receiver with bolts; the plug tip receiver is fixed to the top end of the sleeve and has a flared structure that is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, which is used to guide the plug tip of the upper block to be aligned and introduced; The hydraulic lifting device includes at least a piston rod and a hydraulic cylinder. The piston rod is coaxially mounted inside the hydraulic cylinder and can reciprocate and extend along the inner cavity of the hydraulic cylinder. The sleeve is rigidly connected to the piston rod; The pile leg docking coupling system also includes: A pressure sensor is installed on the hydraulic jacking device or the pile leg docking coupling device to monitor the load value of each stress point in real time and send the monitoring results to the control system. The control system is used to receive monitoring results and dynamically adjust the lifting height of the upper block by the hydraulic jacking device according to the monitoring results; the number of pressure sensors is at least two, and they are set at at least two positions in the upper, middle or lower part of the hydraulic jacking device or the pile leg docking coupling device.

2. The pile leg docking coupling system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The piston rod body is nested in the sealed inner cavity of the hydraulic cylinder. The inner end of the hydraulic cylinder is fixed with a piston through a rigid connection structure. The piston divides the inner cavity of the cylinder into a rodless cavity and a rod cavity. The hydraulic cylinder is fixed inside the main leg of the guide frame to ensure that there is no relative displacement between the piston rod of the pile leg docking coupling device and the hydraulic jacking device during construction.

3. The pile leg docking coupling system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The first buffer is composed of 8 to 10 buffer units stacked vertically. Each unit consists of upper and lower load-bearing steel plates and a middle rubber buffer pad, which is used for buffering vertical loads.

4. The pile leg docking coupling system as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The second buffer is made of 10 to 15 layers of stacked rubber and is used for buffering horizontal loads.

5. A floating installation method, implemented using the pile leg docking coupling system as described in any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Place the upper module on the deck support device of the transport barge, and then drive the transport barge with the upper module into the slot of the jacket frame, so that the tip of the upper module is within the capture range of the pile leg docking coupling system. S2. The hydraulic jacking device, which is arranged inside the main leg of the jacket frame and rigidly connected to the main leg of the jacket frame, actively lifts the pile leg docking coupling device, which is rigidly connected to the hydraulic jacking device, so that the tip of the upper block enters the pile leg docking coupling device to complete the docking. S3. During the continuous lifting process of the hydraulic lifting device, the load of the upper block is transferred from the transport barge to the jacket frame. After the load transfer is completed, the transport barge is withdrawn. S4. The hydraulic jacking device depressurizes and descends, causing the sleeve of the pile leg docking coupling device to lock onto the main leg of the guide frame, thus completing the installation of the upper module.

6. The floating installation method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, After completing step S2, the process also includes cutting the loading fixation between the upper module and the transport barge.

7. The floating installation method as described in claim 5, characterized in that, The process of withdrawing the transport barge specifically includes: after the load has been completely transferred to the jacket, the hydraulic jacking device continues to jack up until a safe distance is formed between the lower deck of the upper module and the tooling deck support frame of the transport barge, then the hydraulic jacking device is locked, and then the barge withdrawal operation is carried out.

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