Dredging control device, dredging control method and program

Abstract

To achieve highly accurate slope dredging by controlling a swing winch and a ladder winch.SOLUTION: A control portion 113 controls a winding speed and an unwinding speed of a ladder winch 6 and a swing winch 8 respectively via an inverter board 12 so that a cutter 3 moves along a shape of a slope included in dredging data acquired by an acquisition portion 111. More specifically, the control portion 113 calculates a position of the cutter 3, and when the calculated position of the cutter 3 deviates from a threshold value or more with respect to a shape of the slope included in the dredging data, the ladder winch 6 and the swing winch 8 are controlled in conjunction so that the position of the cutter 3 is less than the threshold value with respect to the shape of the slope included in the dredging data.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a technique for performing slope dredging. [Background technology]

[0002] In dredging work for the purposes of maintaining waterways or creating anchorages, slope dredging is carried out by dredging the side edge of the dredging area in an oblique direction, with the top opening, along a line that forms a certain angle with the horizontal (called the slope gradient line).For example, in pump dredging, a skilled operator simultaneously operates a swing winch that moves the ladder horizontally and a ladder winch that moves it vertically, and dredging is carried out by moving the cutter attached to the tip of the ladder along the slope gradient line for construction management that corresponds to the designed slope gradient line.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a dredging construction management system for constructing a recessed channel on the bottom of the water. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2020-56250 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, the technology described in Patent Document 1 can automatically dredge the recess between the bottom end of one slope and the bottom end of the other slope by adjusting the cutter depth using only a ladder winch and swinging it horizontally, but it cannot automate dredging work so that the slopes at both ends of the recess can be oriented at a specified inclination angle.

[0006] Furthermore, dredging of slopes requires the abundant experience and skills of experienced operators more than dredging of bedrock, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure operators with such experience and skills as experienced operators retire due to aging.In addition, opportunities for young operators to acquire experience and skills from such experienced operators are decreasing.

[0007] In view of the recent shortage of skilled operators, it is desirable to automate such slope dredging using a system rather than relying on skilled operators. Therefore, the object of the present invention is to control the swing winch and ladder winch to realize machine operation equivalent to the high-precision slope dredging performed by a skilled operator. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a dredging control device that automatically controls pump dredging using a cutter attached to the tip of a rudder installed on a ship, and Shows the design shape of the terrain an acquisition unit for acquiring data; before a ladder winch for vertically moving the cutter and a swing winch for horizontally moving the cutter; Control and a control unit for controlling the The control unit specifies a vector Vc of a control speed of the cutter so that the position of the cutter moves along the design shape when the deviation of the position of the cutter from the design shape is less than a threshold value, and specifies the vector Vc so that the deviation of the position of the cutter from the design shape is less than the threshold value when the deviation of the position of the cutter from the design shape is equal to or greater than the threshold value, specifies a control speed Vl of the rudder winch and a control speed Vs of the swing winch from the vector Vc, and inverter controls the rudder winch to operate at the control speed Vl and the swing winch to operate at the control speed Vs. It is characterized by Providing dredging control equipment .

[0011] The acquisition unit may be configured to acquire a physical quantity corresponding to the load received by the cutter during dredging, and to include an output unit that outputs information corresponding to the acquired physical quantity.

[0012] The present invention also provides a dredging control method for automatically controlling pump dredging using a cutter attached to the tip of a rudder installed on a ship, the method comprising: Shows the design shape of the terrain acquiring data; before a ladder winch for vertically moving the cutter and a swing winch for horizontally moving the cutter; Control and a step for controlling the In the controlling step, if the deviation of the cutter position from the design shape is less than a threshold value, a vector Vc of a control speed of the cutter is specified so that the position of the cutter moves along the design shape, and if the deviation of the cutter position from the design shape is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the vector Vc is specified so that the deviation of the cutter position from the design shape is less than the threshold value, a control speed Vl of the rudder winch and a control speed Vs of the swing winch are specified from the vector Vc, and inverter control is performed so that the rudder winch operates at the control speed Vl and the swing winch operates at the control speed Vs. It is characterized by Providing a dredging control method .

[0013] In addition, the present invention is a computer that automatically controls pump dredging using a cutter provided at the tip of a rudder installed on a ship, and therefore, the computer can detect underwater dredging formed by the pump dredging. Shows the design shape of the terrain acquiring data; before a ladder winch for vertically moving the cutter and a swing winch for horizontally moving the cutter; Control and execute the steps that control In the controlling step, if the deviation of the cutter position from the design shape is less than a threshold value, a vector Vc of the control speed of the cutter is specified so that the cutter position deviation moves along the design shape, and if the deviation of the cutter position from the design shape is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the vector Vc is specified so that the deviation of the cutter position from the design shape is less than the threshold value, a control speed Vl of the rudder winch and a control speed Vs of the swing winch are specified from the vector Vc, and an inverter is controlled to operate the rudder winch at the control speed Vl and the swing winch at the control speed Vs. .

[0014] As the dredging data including the shape of the underwater slope, any dredging shape of a slope and bottom excavation set by a computer may be used. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the present invention, it is possible to control the swing winch and ladder winch and achieve high-precision slope dredging without the need for a skilled operator. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0016] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the main parts of a pump dredging mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of a dredging control system 10. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of a PC 11. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of a PC 11. [Figure 5] A cross-sectional view showing the underwater conditions during dredging. [Figure 6] 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between a vector indicating the movement speed of a cutter 3, a vector indicating the control speed of a ladder winch 6, and a vector indicating the control speed of a swing winch 8. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating control according to the positional relationship between a slope inclination line and a cutter 3. [Figure 8]10 is a flowchart showing the processing of the PC 11. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] An example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described. [composition] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating the main components of a pump dredging mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention. The upper part of FIG. 1 is a side view of the pump dredging mechanism, and the lower part is a plan view of the pump dredging mechanism. This pump dredging mechanism is installed, for example, near the bow of a ship called a pump dredger. A base end (left side in the figure) of the ladder 2 is pivotally supported on a pivot support unit 1 installed on the hull of the pump dredger so that the tip end (right side in the figure) of the ladder 2 swings up and down. The tip of the ladder 2 is provided with a cutter 3 for excavating the bottom of the water and a suction port (not shown) for sucking up the excavated soil and sand. The ladder 2 extends linearly from the pivot support unit 1, and the tip end of the ladder 2 is suspended by a wire 4 from a ladder shear 5 (also called a ladder gantry). The ladder 2 swings vertically around the pivot support 1, which is pivotally supported on the hull, as an axis by the ladder winch 6 paying out and reeling in the wire 4, i.e., on the XZ plane in the figure. The tip of the ladder 2 is connected to a swing winch 8 by a swing wire 7. The swing winch 8 pays out and reeles in the swing wire 7, so the ladder 2 swings horizontally around the base end as an axis, i.e., on the XY plane in the figure. During dredging, the bottom of the water is excavated by the cutter 3 attached to the tip of the ladder 2, and the excavated soil and sand, together with seawater, are sucked in using a pump (not shown) through an inlet at the tip of the ladder 2 and pumped out through a sand discharge pipe (not shown). In Figure 1, the X axis is an axis parallel to the overall length of the ship, with its positive direction extending from the stern to the bow; the Y axis is an axis parallel to the overall width of the ship, with its positive direction extending from port to starboard; and the Z axis is an axis perpendicular to the X and Y axes, with its positive direction extending from bottom to top (the same applies below).

[0018] 2 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of the dredging control system 10. The dredging control system 10 is a system in which a personal computer (PC) 11, which functions as a dredging control device that automatically controls the movement of the ladder 2 during pump dredging, an inverter panel 12, a ladder winch 6, a swing winch 8, and a sensor group 13 including various sensors are networked together using, for example, a programmable logic controller (PLC) and communication lines such as Ethernet or optical fiber.

[0019] The sensor group 13 includes a GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) unit installed on the ship body, a draft indicator installed on the ship body, a depth gauge installed at a predetermined position such as the middle section of the rudder 2, a direction detector such as a gyro sensor installed on the ship body, a vibration meter, a receiver for receiving detection signals from a tide gauge installed on a quay or the like, a rotary encoder installed on the rudder winch 6, a rotary encoder installed on the swing winch 8, etc. The PC 11 calculates the three-dimensional coordinates (X, Y, Z) of the cutter 3 in the water from the GNSS coordinates and attitude of the ship detected by these sensors, the tide level in the dredging area, the draft position of the ship, and the water depth at the location where the depth system is installed, as well as the dimensions of each part of the pump ship and the pump dredging mechanism, and the relative positional relationship between the GNSS unit and the pump dredging mechanism. In order to appropriately control the three-dimensional coordinates of the cutter 3, the detection data of the rotary encoders provided on the ladder winch 6 and swing winch 8 is used by the PC 11 via the inverter panel 12. In other words, the PC 11 appropriately controls the ladder winch 6 and swing winch 8 individually or in conjunction with each other to move the cutter 3 so that the water bottom of the dredging area has the desired shape.

[0020] 3 is a diagram showing the hardware configuration of PC 11. PC 11 is physically configured as a computer device including a processor 1101, memory 1102, storage 1103, communication device 1104, input device 1105, output device 1106, and a bus connecting these devices. Each of these devices operates using power supplied from a power source (not shown). The hardware configuration of PC 11 may be configured to include one or more of the devices shown in FIG. 3, or may be configured without including some of the devices. Furthermore, the devices may be externally attached to the outside of PC 11.

[0021] Each function in PC 11 is realized by loading specified software (programs) onto hardware such as processor 1101 and memory 1102, causing processor 1101 to perform calculations, control communication via communication device 1104, acquire data transmitted from other devices, and control at least one of reading and writing data in memory 1102 and storage 1103.

[0022] The processor 1101 controls the entire computer by running, for example, an operating system. The processor 1101 may be configured as a central processing unit (CPU) including an interface with peripheral devices, a control device, an arithmetic unit, a register, etc. Furthermore, for example, a baseband signal processing unit, a call processing unit, etc. may be realized by the processor 1101.

[0023] The processor 1101 reads programs (program codes), software modules, data, etc. from at least one of the storage 1103 and the communication device 1104 into the memory 1102, and executes various processes in accordance with these.

[0024] The memory 1102 is a computer-readable recording medium and may be configured by, for example, at least one of a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable ROM (EPROM), an electrically erasable programmable ROM (EEPROM), a random access memory (RAM), etc. The memory 1102 may also be called a register, a cache, a main memory (primary storage device), etc. The memory 1102 can store executable programs (program codes), software modules, etc. for implementing the method according to this embodiment.

[0025] Storage 1103 is a computer-readable recording medium, and may be composed of at least one of, for example, an optical disk such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc ROM), a hard disk drive, a solid-state drive, a flexible disk, a magneto-optical disk (e.g., a compact disk, a digital versatile disk, a Blu-ray® disk), a smart card, a flash memory (e.g., a card, a stick, a key drive), a floppy disk, a magnetic strip, etc. Storage 1103 may also be referred to as an auxiliary storage device.

[0026] The communication device 1104 is hardware (transmission / reception device) for performing communication between a computer and other devices via at least one of wired and wireless communication, and is also called, for example, a network device, a network controller, a network card, or a communication module.

[0027] The input device 1105 is an input device (for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a microphone, a switch, a button, etc.) that receives input from the outside. The output device 1106 is an output device (for example, a display, a speaker, an LED lamp, etc.) that outputs to the outside. The input device 1105 and the output device 1106 may be integrated into one device (for example, a touch panel).

[0028] 4 is a diagram showing an example of the functional configuration of the PC 11. Each function realized by the PC 11 is realized by loading predetermined software (programs) onto hardware such as a processor 1101, a memory 1102, etc., causing the processor 1101 to perform calculations, control communication by a communication device 1104, and control at least one of reading and writing of data from and to the memory 1102 and storage 1103.

[0029] The acquiring unit 111 acquires data from outside the PC 11. For example, the acquiring unit 111 acquires dredging data including the design shape of the underwater slope formed by pump dredging (slope dredging line) and other various data related to dredging work. As the dredging data including the design shape of the underwater slope, data indicating the dredging shape including any slope shape set by a computer such as the PC 11 and the bottom excavation shape between the slopes on both sides can be used. In addition, the acquiring unit 111 acquires detection data detected by each sensor from the sensor group 13.

[0030] Dredging by a pump dredger involves dredging so that the side edges in the width direction have a slope with a stable inclination angle or so that the side edge slopes have a stepped shape. Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the underwater state during dredging. In Figure 5, the dashed line S represents the water surface, the solid line G1 represents the undredged water bottom, and the solid lines G2 and G3 represent the dredged slope and water bottom. First, the pump dredger moves the cutter 3 horizontally or vertically in the order of arrows m1, m2, m3, m4, etc. This results in dredging so that the water bottom is G3 and the edge of the dredging area has a stepped shape g. Next, the edge of the dredging area is dredged along the slope inclination line G2, which is at a certain angle to the horizontal. The dredging data described above includes at least three-dimensional coordinates indicating the slope gradient line G2 illustrated in FIG.

[0031] The storage unit 112 stores various data acquired by the acquisition unit 111, as well as programs executed by the control unit 113, etc.

[0032] The control unit 113 controls the winding speed and payout speed (hereinafter referred to as the control speed) of the ladder winch 6 and the swing winch 8 individually or in conjunction with each other via the inverter panel 12 so that the cutter 3 moves along the shape of the slope included in the dredging data acquired by the acquisition unit 111. More specifically, the control unit 113 controls the ladder winch 6 and the swing winch 8 individually or in conjunction with each other using the relationship that a vector indicating the movement direction and movement speed of the cutter 3 corresponds to the sum of a vertical vector indicating the control speed of the ladder winch 6 and a horizontal vector indicating the control speed of the swing winch 8.

[0033] 6 is a diagram showing the relationship between a vector indicating the movement speed of the cutter 3, a vector indicating the control speed of the ladder winch 6, and a vector indicating the control speed of the swing winch 8. In FIG. 6, the magnitude of the vector Vl, which indicates the control speed of the ladder winch 6, corresponds to the movement amount of the cutter 3 per unit time on the XZ plane calculated from the payout or reeling speed of the ladder winch 6, and the direction of the vector Vl corresponds to the movement direction of the cutter 3 on the XZ plane calculated from the payout or reeling speed of the ladder winch 6. Furthermore, the magnitude of the vector Vs, which indicates the control speed of the swing winch 8, corresponds to the movement amount of the cutter 3 per unit time on the XY plane calculated from the payout or reeling speed of the swing winch 8, and the direction of the vector Vs corresponds to the movement direction of the cutter 3 on the XY plane calculated from the payout or reeling speed of the swing winch 8. Therefore, the resultant vector Vc, which is the sum of the vector Vl representing the control speed of the rudder winch 6 and the vector Vs representing the control speed of the swing winch 8, corresponds to the vector indicating the actual control speed of the cutter 3. The control unit 113 controls the rudder winch 6 and the swing winch 8 in conjunction with each other so that this vector Vc coincides with the slope inclination line.

[0034] In addition, the control unit 113 calculates the position of the cutter 3, and if the calculated position of the cutter 3 deviates by more than a threshold value from the design shape of the slope included in the dredging data, it controls the ladder winch 6 and swing winch 8 in conjunction with each other so that the position of the cutter 3 is less than the threshold value from the design shape of the slope included in the dredging data.

[0035] 7 illustrates control according to the positional relationship between the slope gradient line and the cutter 3 in construction management. In FIG. 7, for example, in a slope gradient line G2 extending from the toe of the slope to the foot of the slope, if the Y coordinate (Yc0) of the cutter 3 at a certain Z coordinate (Z0) deviates from the Y coordinate (Yn0) of the slope gradient line by more than a threshold value (Lth), the control unit 113 controls the ladder winch 6 and swing winch 8 in conjunction with each other so that the difference between the two is less than the threshold value (Lth). Also, in a slope gradient line G2, if the Y coordinate (Yc1) of the cutter 3 at a certain Z coordinate (Z1) deviates from the Y coordinate (Yn1) of the slope gradient line by more than a threshold value (Lth), the control unit 113 controls the ladder winch 6 and swing winch 8 in conjunction with each other so that the difference between the two is less than the threshold value (Lth).

[0036] The output unit 114 outputs various information to the outside by means of display, transmission, etc. For example, the output unit 114 displays the posture of the ladder 2 and the position of the cutter 3 on a display or the like, together with the slope inclination line described above, so that an operator can monitor the dredging status.

[0037] [Operation] Next, the operation of the PC 11 will be described with reference to Fig. 8. First, the operator moves the position of the cutter 3 to the starting point of slope dredging, and dredging begins. First, the acquisition unit 111 acquires various data from outside the PC 11, and the acquired various data are stored in the memory unit 112. As a result, dredging data including the design shape of the underwater slope formed by pump dredging and detection data by the sensor group 13 are acquired (step S10).

[0038] The pump dredger according to this embodiment is capable of not only automatic dredging under computer control as described above, but also manual dredging according to the operator's operation. Therefore, the control unit 113 determines whether automatic dredging or manual dredging is to be performed (step S11).

[0039] When automatic dredging is performed (step S11; automatic), the control unit 113 calculates the underwater position of the cutter 3 using the detection data from the sensor group 13 as described above (step S12). Then, the control unit 113 compares the calculated position of the cutter 3 with the slope gradient line (slope gradient line for construction management) included in the dredging data acquired in step S10 (step S13).

[0040] Then, the control unit 113 controls the control speeds of the ladder winch 6 and the swing winch 8 via the inverter panel 12 so that the cutter 3 moves along the slope gradient line for construction management (step S14). Specifically, the control unit 113 sets the control speed of the ladder winch 6, for example, between 0 and 100%, according to the method described in Fig. 6, and performs inverter control so that the ladder winch 6 operates according to the set value. Also, the control unit 113 sets the control speed of the swing winch 8, for example, between 0 and 100%, according to the method described in Fig. 6, and performs inverter control so that the swing winch 8 operates according to the set value. At this time, according to the method described in Fig. 7, if the position of the cutter 3 deviates by more than a threshold value from the design shape of the slope included in the dredging data, the control unit 113 performs inverter control of the ladder winch 6 and the swing winch 8 individually or in conjunction with each other so that the position of the cutter 3 is within the limit value from the design shape of the slope included in the dredging data.

[0041] The output unit 114 displays necessary information such as the posture of the ladder 2 and the position of the cutter 3 on a display or the like, along with the slope gradient line for construction management described above, so that the operator can monitor the status during dredging work (step S15). This makes it easy for the operator to compare these two.

[0042] On the other hand, if it is determined in step S11 that manual dredging is to be performed (step S11; manual), the operator performs operations for manual dredging while checking the underwater position of the cutter 3 displayed on a display or the like (step S16), and the control unit 113 controls the rudder winch 6 and swing winch 8 respectively in accordance with this operation (step S17).

[0043] According to the embodiment described above, by automatically controlling the horizontal and vertical speeds of the ladder 2, the position of the cutter installed at the tip of the ladder 2 can be moved along the slope gradient line obtained from the construction management in step S10, making it possible to perform slope dredging with the same high precision as an experienced operator.

[0044] [Variations] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but may be modified as follows.

[0045] During slope dredging, the cutter 3 mainly experiences resistance from the water bottom in the horizontal direction, i.e., the direction of movement of the cutter by the swing winch 8. Therefore, the current value required for the operation of the swing winch 8 may be used to grasp the load on the cutter 3, and the current value may be displayed on the operator's operation terminal. In this case, if the current value exceeds a predetermined value, the operator may manually intervene or stop automatic control using an emergency stop button. In this manner, the acquisition unit 111 may acquire a physical quantity corresponding to the load on the cutter 3 during dredging (the current value required for the operation of the swing winch 8), and the output unit 114 may output information corresponding to the acquired physical quantity (the current value itself, information related to a warning corresponding to the current value, etc.). Note that the physical quantity corresponding to the load on the cutter 3 during dredging may be a physical quantity other than the current value required for the operation of the swing winch 8 exemplified above.

[0046] The present invention may also be implemented as a dredging control method for automatically controlling pump dredging using a cutter attached to the tip of a rudder installed on a ship. The present invention may also be implemented as a program for executing the dredging control method. [Explanation of symbols]

[0047] 1: shaft support part, 2: ladder, 3: cutter, 4: wire, 5: ladder shear, 6: ladder winch, 7: swing wire, 8: swing winch, 10: dredging control system, 11: personal computer (PC), 12: inverter panel, 13: sensor group, 1101: processor, 1102: memory, 1103: storage, 1104: communication device, 1105: input device, 1106: output device, 111: acquisition unit, 112: memory unit, 113: control unit, 114: output unit

Claims

1. A dredging control device that automatically controls pump dredging using a cutter provided at the tip of a rudder installed on a ship, an acquisition unit that acquires data indicating a design shape of the underwater topography to be formed by pump dredging; a control unit that controls a ladder winch that moves the cutter in a vertical direction and a swing winch that moves the cutter in a horizontal direction; Equipped with The control unit specifies a vector Vc of a control speed of the cutter so that the position of the cutter moves along the design shape when the deviation of the position of the cutter from the design shape is less than a threshold value, and specifies the vector Vc so that the deviation of the position of the cutter from the design shape is less than the threshold value when the deviation of the position of the cutter from the design shape is equal to or greater than the threshold value, specifies a control speed Vl of the ladder winch and a control speed Vs of the swing winch from the vector Vc, and inverter controls the ladder winch to operate at the control speed Vl and the swing winch to operate at the control speed Vs. A dredging control device characterized by the above.

2. The acquisition unit acquires a physical quantity corresponding to a load applied to the cutter during dredging, An output unit that outputs information corresponding to the acquired physical quantity 2. The dredging control device according to claim 1.

3. A dredging control method for automatically controlling pump dredging using a cutter provided at the tip of a rudder installed on a ship, comprising: acquiring data indicative of a design shape of the underwater topography to be formed by pump dredging; controlling a ladder winch that moves the cutter in a vertical direction and a swing winch that moves the cutter in a horizontal direction; Equipped with In the controlling step, if the deviation of the cutter position from the design shape is less than a threshold value, a control speed vector Vc of the cutter is specified so that the cutter position moves along the design shape, and if the deviation of the cutter position from the design shape is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the vector Vc is specified so that the deviation of the cutter position from the design shape is less than the threshold value, a control speed Vl of the ladder winch and a control speed Vs of the swing winch are specified from the vector Vc, and inverter control is performed so that the ladder winch operates at the control speed Vl and so that the swing winch operates at the control speed Vs. A dredging control method comprising:

4. On the computer, To automatically control pump dredging using a cutter attached to the tip of a rudder installed on a ship, acquiring data indicative of a design shape of the underwater topography to be formed by pump dredging; controlling a ladder winch that moves the cutter in a vertical direction and a swing winch that moves the cutter in a horizontal direction; Execute In the controlling step, if the deviation of the cutter position from the design shape is less than a threshold value, a vector Vc of the control speed of the cutter is specified so that the cutter position moves along the design shape, and if the deviation of the cutter position from the design shape is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the vector Vc is specified so that the deviation of the cutter position from the design shape is less than the threshold value, a control speed Vl of the ladder winch and a control speed Vs of the swing winch are specified from the vector Vc, and inverter control is performed to operate the ladder winch at the control speed Vl and the swing winch at the control speed Vs. Program for.

5. As data showing the design shape of the underwater topography, an arbitrary dredging shape set by a computer is used. The program according to claim 4.

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