Deepwater flexible pipe laying ship with vertical laying system

Abstract

The utility model provides a deepwater flexible pipe laying ship with a vertical laying system, which is characterized in that a reel pipe coil chamber is arranged in a cabin of a ship body, at least one transversely arranged cable reel pipe coil is arranged in the reel pipe coil chamber, and each cable reel pipe coil is connected with a reel driver; a cable through hole and a cable guide mechanism are mounted on the upper surface of the main deck; a set of vertical laying system is installed on the upper surface of the main deck, the vertical laying system comprises a vertical supporting frame erected on the main deck, a conveying pulley is installed at the top of the vertical supporting frame, and the conveying pulley is connected with a pulley driver; the ship body is provided with a working moon pool which downwards penetrates from the main deck to the ship bottom, a cable wound on the cable reel pipe disc penetrates through the cable through hole and is connected and conveyed to the vertical laying system through the cable guide mechanism, and the cable downwards penetrates through the working moon pool through the conveying pulley and is laid underwater. According to the utility model, the reel pipe is coiled in the cabin body, so that the gravity center height of the ship can be reduced while the loading capacity is improved, and the economic benefit and the operation safety are further improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to submarine cable laying, in particular to a deepwater flexible pipe laying vessel with a vertical laying system. Background Art

[0002] Flexible pipe-laying vessels, a crucial player in the marine engineering field, are responsible for laying flexible pipelines such as offshore hoses, umbilicals, cables, and communications cables. These vessels not only carry the heavy responsibility of connecting the underwater world but are also an indispensable component of modern marine resource development. Their core capabilities—flexible pipe loading capacity and operating water depth—directly determine their ability to withstand the challenges of complex and ever-changing marine environments.

[0003] During each laying operation, flexible pipe-laying vessels strive to lay as many complete, continuous pipes and cables as possible in a single operation to minimize the number of joints. This not only reduces the risk of pipe failure but also improves laying efficiency, thereby lowering overall project costs. Therefore, pipe-laying capacity is a key indicator of a flexible pipe-laying vessel's ability to undertake long-distance submarine laying projects. The capability and efficiency of the laying equipment directly determine the operating water depth and efficiency, becoming a crucial criterion for vessel performance.

[0004] However, my country started late in submarine pipeline and cable engineering, with relatively few independently designed and built flexible pipe-laying vessels. This leaves significant room for improvement in loading capacity and operating water depth. Currently, domestic submarine flexible pipe-laying vessels are primarily used in coastal areas, operating in relatively shallow water depths and with relatively small loading capacities. These vessels primarily rely on anchoring for positioning, employing a horizontal laying method that makes them difficult to meet the demands of long-distance, deep-water, and high-capacity laying projects.

[0005] Faced with this situation, we urgently need to improve our independent development capabilities for flexible pipe-laying vessels with large operating depths and large loading capacities. This is not only to meet the needs of my country's marine resource development, but also to gain a foothold in the global marine engineering field. Utility Model Content

[0006] The utility model provides a deepwater flexible pipe laying vessel with a vertical laying system, comprising a hull and a main deck.

[0007] The upper surface of the main deck is equipped with an underwater robot system, a saturation diving system, and a maintenance and repair system;

[0008] A cable reel chamber is provided in the cabin of the hull, and at least one transverse cable reel is horizontally distributed in the cable reel chamber, and each cable reel is connected to a reel drive;

[0009] At least one cable through hole and a cable guide mechanism corresponding to the position of the cable reel are installed on the upper surface of the main deck;

[0010] A vertical laying system is installed on the upper surface of the main deck. The vertical laying system includes a vertical support frame erected on the main deck. A conveying pulley is installed on the top of the vertical support frame. The conveying pulley is connected to the pulley driver.

[0011] The hull is equipped with an independent deck that extends down to the working moon pool at the bottom of the ship.

[0012] The cable wound on the cable reel passes through the cable through-hole and is connected to the cable guide mechanism and transported to the vertical laying system. The conveying pulley pulls the cable down through the working moon pool and is laid underwater.

[0013] Furthermore, at least one transverse cable reel is installed on the main deck, and each cable reel is equipped with a reel drive.

[0014] Furthermore, there are several ballast tanks on both sides of the hull;

[0015] A plurality of cable reels are distributed in sequence along the length of the ship in the reel room.

[0016] Furthermore, the cable guide mechanism includes a guide support frame, on which a transverse guide slot is mounted, and one end of the transverse guide slot is bent downward toward the cable through hole.

[0017] Furthermore, a rotating guide frame is provided at the other end of the horizontal guide slot, which includes a rotating frame and an arc-shaped guide slot. The rotating frame is vertically rotatably connected to the guide support frame or the main deck, and the arc-shaped guide slot is fixedly mounted on the rotating frame, with one end of the arc-shaped guide slot bent toward the conveying pulley.

[0018] Furthermore, a plurality of platforms for supporting the cable reel are provided in the reel chamber, and a circle of supporting rollers in contact with the platforms is provided at the bottom of the cable reel.

[0019] Furthermore, the working moon pool is arranged in the middle of the hull, and the vertical laying system and the hose reel room are respectively arranged on the front and rear sides of the working moon pool.

[0020] Furthermore, a crane is installed on the main deck above the hose reel room.

[0021] Furthermore, the power system of the deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel adopts new energy power such as batteries, methanol or ammonia.

[0022] Furthermore, the deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel is equipped with a dynamic positioning system, which includes a detection system and a power control system. The detection system is used to collect hydrological environmental data including positioning, meteorological, and tidal speed. The power control system controls the ship-borne propeller according to the hydrological environmental data to achieve dynamic positioning of the deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel in the ocean current.

[0023] The advantages of the present invention are:

[0024] 1. Placing the cable reel horizontally in the cabin below the main deck can effectively improve the efficiency and quality of laying operations, reduce the number of pipe and cable joints, lower the risk of failure, and thus improve the reliability of the entire project. It can also lower the center of gravity of the ship, thereby improving economic benefits and operational safety.

[0025] 2. Through the vertical laying system and the working moon pool opened on the hull, the cables can be dropped vertically directly from the working moon pool into the water. Compared with the traditional horizontal cable laying method, the cables laid by this utility model can reach the bottom of the water faster and more efficiently. At the same time, the excessive horizontal suspension length in the water is reduced, so that the cable offset during the laying process is smaller, and the laying accuracy is improved.

[0026] 3. The unique cable guide mechanism design ensures smooth and accurate cable laying, avoiding cable entanglement and damage problems that may be caused by traditional horizontal laying methods.

[0027] 4. The use of new energy power systems not only reduces dependence on traditional fossil fuels and reduces environmental pollution, but also improves the ship's endurance and economic benefits.

[0028] 5. The dynamic positioning system enables the deepwater flexible pipe laying vessel to maintain stability in complex marine environments, ensure operational accuracy and safety, and adapt to a wider range of operating water depths and environments.

[0029] In summary, the utility model provides an efficient, safe, environmentally friendly, deep-water flexible pipe-laying vessel with greatly improved loading capacity, which can meet the current needs of marine resource development and has good development prospects and market potential. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the following briefly introduces the drawings required for use in the embodiments or the description of the prior art. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For ordinary technicians in this field, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without paying any creative labor.

[0031] Figure 1This is a side view of a deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel with a vertical laying system according to the present invention;

[0032] Figure 2 This is a top view of the deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel of the utility model;

[0033] Figure 3 This is a bottom-up cross-sectional view of the deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 4 is a structural diagram of the cable guide mechanism;

[0035] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the cable reel on the platform. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0036] In the following description, numerous specific details are provided to provide a more thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention can be practiced without one or more of these details. In other instances, certain technical features known in the art are not described to avoid confusion with the present invention.

[0037] In order to fully understand the present invention, detailed steps and detailed structures will be provided in the following description to illustrate the technical solution of the present invention. The preferred embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below. However, in addition to these detailed descriptions, the present invention may also have other implementation methods.

[0038] Domestic flexible pipe laying primarily utilizes a horizontal laying method, which subjects the pipes and cables to significant stress and deformation, requiring high strength. Operating depths generally do not exceed 300 meters, making them impractical for deepwater operations. While a number of large-tonnage cable-laying vessels have been built in China in recent years, their loading capacity is limited to 10,000 tons, and all utilize a horizontal laying method, making them unable to meet the needs of accelerating my country's marine economic development.

[0039] This utility model proposes a high-performance, high-load flexible pipe-laying vessel. By arranging a vertical pipe-laying system on the main deck, the vessel can operate in water depths up to 3,000 meters. Multiple pipe reels are arranged below the main deck, and reels can also be arranged on the main deck to increase pipe and cable loading capacity.

[0040] Reference Figure 1-5 As shown, the present invention provides a deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel with a vertical laying system 160 , which includes a hull 100 and a main deck 101 .

[0041] The vessel of this utility model features a wide and smooth operating deck. By employing modular technology, it can be adapted to different operational requirements using various operational modules. These include an underwater robotic vehicle (ROV) system 120, a saturation diving system (SAT) system 130, and an inspection and repair system (IMR) system 140. This expands the vessel's scope of use, shortens its operational cycle, and reduces investment costs. The underwater robotic vehicle system 120 serves as the ROV's work area. The ROV is equipped with advanced navigation and positioning systems to ensure accuracy and safety during deepwater operations. The SAT system enables divers to work in high-pressure environments for extended periods, making deepwater operations more efficient and safer. The IMR system includes a variety of repair tools and equipment, enabling rapid and effective maintenance and repair of deepwater facilities. The design of the hull 100 and main deck 101 fully considers the special requirements of marine engineering, ensuring the vessel's stability and reliability during long-term operations. The main deck 101 is also equipped with multiple operating platforms and lifting equipment to facilitate the rapid installation and removal of the various operational modules.

[0042] In practical applications, the deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel of this utility model can meet the needs of various deepwater projects, such as laying submarine pipelines, installing and maintaining offshore platforms, and developing deepwater oil and gas fields. By applying modular technology, the vessel can quickly adjust its operating modules according to different project requirements, thereby improving operational efficiency and reducing operating costs. Furthermore, the vessel of this utility model has excellent environmental adaptability and can operate stably in various climates and sea conditions, ensuring the smooth progress of deepwater projects.

[0043] Ballast tanks 102 are located on both sides of the hull 100. Within these tanks, valves and piping systems enable precise control of the ballast water. Ballast water regulation not only helps maintain the stability and balance of the vessel but also optimizes its performance under varying speeds and sea conditions.

[0044] A cable reel chamber 150 is provided in the cabin of the hull 100 , in which at least one transverse cable reel 151 is horizontally distributed. Each cable reel 151 is connected to a reel driver, which can drive the cable reel 151 to rotate.

[0045] At least one cable through hole 152 and a cable guide mechanism 153 corresponding to the positions of the cable reel 151 are installed on the upper surface of the main deck 101.

[0046] A vertical laying system 160 is installed on the upper surface of the main deck 101. The vertical laying system 160 includes a vertical support frame 161 erected on the main deck 101. A conveying pulley 162 is installed on the top of the vertical support frame 161. The conveying pulley 162 is connected to the pulley driver.

[0047] The hull 100 is provided with a working moon pool 170 extending downward from the main deck 101 to the bottom of the ship.

[0048] The operating process of this utility model can be briefly described as follows: the cable wound on the cable reel 151 passes through the cable through-hole 152 and is connected to the cable guide mechanism 153 and transported to the vertical laying system 160. The conveying pulley 162 of the vertical laying system 160 then pulls the cable vertically downward through the working moon pool 170 and lays it on the seabed. During this process, the reel drive and pulley drive rotate synchronously, ensuring a uniform cable laying speed on the seabed.

[0049] In an optional embodiment, a plurality of cable reels 151 are distributed in sequence along the length of the ship in the reel chamber 150 , and the ship width is utilized as much as possible to place larger cable reels 151 to maximize resource utilization.

[0050] In addition, in an optional embodiment, in addition to placing a cable reel in the cabin, a cable reel 151 can be installed on the vacant main deck 101 to further increase the cable loading capacity. Accordingly, the cable reel on the deck also needs to be equipped with a reel drive.

[0051] like Figure 4 As shown, the cable guide mechanism 153 includes a guide support frame 153-1, on which is mounted a transverse guide slot 153-2. One end of the transverse guide slot 153-2 (i.e., the left side in the figure) curves downward toward the cable through-hole 152. A rotating guide frame 153-3 is mounted at the other end of the transverse guide slot 153-2 (i.e., the right side in the figure). The rotating guide frame 153-3 includes a rotating frame 153-4 and an arcuate guide slot 153-5. The rotating frame 153-4 is vertically rotatably connected to the guide support frame 153-1 or the main deck 101. The arcuate guide slot 153-5 is fixedly mounted on the rotating frame 153-4, with one end of the arcuate guide slot 153-5 curved toward the conveying pulley 162. For example, a hydraulic cylinder can be used to drive the rotating frame 153-4 to rotate, thereby adjusting the elevation angle of the arcuate guide slot 153-5, thereby better guiding the cable 1. When not in use, the rotating frame 153 - 4 can also be rotated to the storage state.

[0052] like Figure 5As shown, a plurality of platforms 154 are provided within the cable reel chamber 150 for supporting the cable reel 151. A circle of support rollers 151-1 are provided at the bottom of the cable reel 151, contacting the platforms 154. As the cable reel 151 rotates, the support rollers 151-1 can roll, thereby reducing friction between the cable reel 151 and the platforms 154 and providing better support.

[0053] A ventilation system is provided on the top of the cable reel chamber 150 to ensure air circulation within the cable reel chamber 150. The ventilation system may include air inlets and air outlets, and maintains the temperature and humidity within the cable reel chamber within an appropriate range through natural ventilation or forced ventilation, thereby extending the service life of the cable.

[0054] The working moon pool 170 is arranged in the middle of the hull 100 , and the vertical laying system 160 and the hose reel chamber 150 are respectively arranged on the front and rear sides of the working moon pool 170 .

[0055] A crane 180 is installed on the main deck 101 above the cable reel room 150. Crane 180 is primarily used to hoist and transport cable reels 151 and other equipment during ship operations. Its design provides sufficient load-bearing capacity and stability, ensuring safe and reliable operation even in harsh sea conditions. The crane's boom can be extended and rotated to accommodate various lifting requirements.

[0056] Next to the crane is a control room where operators can precisely control the crane using an advanced control system. The room is equipped with various monitoring devices, such as cameras and sensors, to monitor the progress of lifting operations in real time and ensure safety.

[0057] To further enhance operational efficiency and safety, the present invention also provides an intelligent management system. This system records and analyzes, in real time, the usage of the cable reel 151, the operating status of the crane 180, and the progress of the moonpool 170. Through data analysis, the system can predict maintenance needs and conduct preventive maintenance in advance, thereby reducing unplanned downtime and improving overall operational efficiency.

[0058] Taking into account the consumption of conventional fossil fuels and the protection of the marine environment, the present invention places greater emphasis on energy conservation and environmental protection. Equipping the vessel with a new energy power battery 170 and new energy power such as methanol or ammonia can reduce pollution to the marine environment, improve the vessel's energy efficiency and competitiveness, and truly achieve green shipping.

[0059] The deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel is equipped with a dynamic positioning system, which includes a detection system and a power control system. The detection system is used to collect hydrological environmental data including positioning, weather, and tidal speed. The power control system can control the DP system to automatically adjust the thrust of different propellers, thereby achieving precise dynamic positioning, so that the deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel is always in the optimal working position, preventing the vessel from being affected by wind and water currents and causing deviation from the preset working position. This system can increase the reliability of laying operations in harsh sea conditions, shorten operation time, and improve operational efficiency. The deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel of this utility model also has a powerful power system and flexible control performance, enabling it to operate stably in harsh marine environments.

[0060] The vessel of the present invention is equipped with a DP2 / DP3 dynamic positioning system and a vertical laying system, and can carry out laying operations in deep waters with an operating depth of up to 3,000 meters. By placing multiple cable reels horizontally in the main hull of the cabin, the center of gravity of the ship can be lowered while ensuring the loading capacity of the reels, thereby improving economic benefits and operational safety. At the same time, the cable reels are placed in the cabin and do not occupy the main deck area, so that the main deck can be equipped with underwater robot systems ROV, saturation diving systems SAT, and maintenance and repair systems IMR, greatly improving the versatility and operational efficiency of the ship. In addition, the vessel of the present invention is also equipped with advanced navigation and communication systems to ensure real-time contact with the land command center even under adverse weather conditions, thereby improving operational safety. At the same time, according to operational needs, the ship's cable loading capacity can be further expanded, the frequency of the ship's round trips can be reduced, and operational efficiency can be improved.

[0061] The above describes the preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above-mentioned specific embodiments, and the devices and structures that are not described in detail should be understood to be implemented in a common manner in the art; any technician familiar with the art can use the above-mentioned disclosed methods and technical contents to make many possible changes and modifications to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the scope of the technical solution of the present invention, or modify them into equivalent embodiments with equivalent changes, which does not affect the essential content of the present invention. Therefore, any simple modifications, equivalent changes and modifications made to the above embodiments based on the technical essence of the present invention that do not depart from the content of the technical solution of the present invention are still within the scope of protection of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel with a vertical laying system, comprising a hull (100) and a main deck (101), characterized in that: An underwater robot system, a saturation diving system and a maintenance and repair system are provided on the upper surface of the main deck (101); A cable reel chamber (150) is provided in the cabin of the hull (100), at least one transverse cable reel (151) is horizontally distributed in the cable reel chamber (150), and each cable reel (151) is connected to a reel drive; At least one cable through hole (152) and a cable guide mechanism (153) respectively corresponding to the position of the cable reel (151) are installed on the upper surface of the main deck (101); A vertical laying system (160) is installed on the upper surface of the main deck (101), and the vertical laying system (160) includes a vertical support frame (161) erected on the main deck (101), and a conveying pulley (162) is installed on the top of the vertical support frame (161), and the conveying pulley (162) is connected to a pulley driver; The hull (100) is provided with an autonomous deck (101) extending downwardly to a working moon pool (170) at the bottom of the ship. The cable wound on the cable reel (151) passes through the cable through-hole (152) and is connected to the cable guide mechanism (153) and transported to the vertical laying system (160). The transport pulley (162) passes the cable downward through the working moon pool (170) and is laid underwater.

2. A deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel with a vertical laying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: At least one transverse cable reel (151) is installed on the main deck (101), and each cable reel (151) is equipped with a reel drive.

3. A deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel with a vertical laying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of ballast tanks are provided on both sides of the hull (100); A plurality of cable reels (151) are sequentially distributed in the reel chamber (150) along the length of the ship.

4. A deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel with a vertical laying system according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that: The cable guide mechanism (153) comprises a guide support frame (153-1), a transverse guide slot (153-2) is mounted on the guide support frame (153-1), and one end of the transverse guide slot (153-2) is bent downward toward the cable through hole (152).

5. A deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel with a vertical laying system according to claim 4, characterized in that: A rotating guide frame (153-3) is provided at the other end of the transverse guide chute (153-2). The rotating guide frame (153-3) includes a rotating frame (153-4) and an arc-shaped guide groove (153-5). The rotating frame (153-4) is vertically rotatably connected to the guide support frame (153-1) or the main deck (101). The arc-shaped guide groove (153-5) is fixedly mounted on the rotating frame (153-4). One end of the arc-shaped guide groove (153-5) is bent toward the conveying pulley (162).

6. A deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel with a vertical laying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: A plurality of platforms (154) for supporting the cable reel (151) are provided in the cable reel chamber (150), and a circle of supporting rollers (151-1) in contact with the platforms (154) are provided at the bottom of the cable reel (151).

7. A deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel with a vertical laying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The working moon pool (170) is arranged in the middle of the hull (100), and the vertical laying system (160) and the hose reel chamber (150) are respectively arranged on the front and rear sides of the working moon pool (170).

8. A deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel with a vertical laying system according to claim 7, characterized in that: A crane (180) is installed on the main deck (101) above the hose reel room (150).

9. The deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel with a vertical laying system according to claim 1, characterized in that: The power system of the deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel adopts new energy power such as batteries, methanol or ammonia.

10. A deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel with a vertical laying system according to claim 9, characterized in that: The deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel is equipped with a dynamic positioning system, which includes a detection system and a power control system. The detection system is used to collect hydrological environment data including positioning, weather, and tidal speed. The power control system controls the shipboard propeller according to the hydrological environment data to achieve dynamic positioning of the deepwater flexible pipe-laying vessel in the ocean current.

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