Submersible pump and ship

Abstract

A submersible pump and a ship. The submersible pump comprises a pump assembly (10) and a cabin stripping assembly (20). The pump assembly (10) comprises a pump body (110) and a liquid cargo pipe (120), the pump body (110) being connected to the liquid cargo pipe (120), and the liquid cargo pipe (120) comprising a liquid inlet port and a liquid outlet port. The cabin stripping assembly (20) comprises a buffer tank (210), a cabin stripping pipe (220), a transport pipe (230), an air conveyor pipe (240) and an air pressure adjusting device (250), the buffer tank (210) being connected to the liquid cargo pipe (120); a first port of the cabin stripping pipe (220) is close to the liquid inlet port of the liquid cargo pipe (120), a second port of the cabin stripping pipe (220) is in communication with the buffer tank (210), a first port of the transport pipe (230) is in communication with the buffer tank (210), a second port of the transport pipe (230) is in communication with the part of the liquid cargo pipe (120) close to the liquid outlet port thereof, a first port of the air conveyor pipe (240) is in communication with the buffer tank (210), and a second port of the air conveyor pipe (240) is in communication with the air pressure adjusting device (250). When the air pressure adjusting device (250) sucks in an airflow, a liquid cargo is output to the buffer tank (210) via the cabin stripping pipe (220); when the air pressure adjusting device (250) outputs the airflow, the liquid cargo is output to the transport pipe (230) via the buffer tank (210). The device can improve the cabin stripping effect.

Description

Submersible pumps and ships

[0001] This disclosure claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202410932389.7, filed on July 12, 2024, entitled "Submersible Pump and Ship", the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure pertains to the field of marine technology, and particularly relates to a submersible pump and a vessel. Background Technology

[0003] A liquid cargo ship is a type of vessel used to transport various liquid cargoes. A submersible pump is a device used to pump liquid cargoes and can be applied to liquid cargo ships.

[0004] In related technologies, liquid cargo is stored in the cargo tanks of a ship. After the submersible pumps have unloaded the liquid cargo, a tank cleaning device is needed to further clean the cargo tanks to remove any remaining liquid cargo. The tank cleaning device mainly consists of a vacuum ejector and piping. The vacuum ejector provides suction, allowing the piping to transport the remaining liquid cargo to the deck. After the tank cleaning, the remaining liquid cargo can be less than 75L, which complies with the requirements of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk.

[0005] However, for large ships, the depth of their liquid cargo tanks is relatively large (greater than 7 meters). The tank sweeping devices in the relevant technologies rely solely on vacuum jets to provide suction, which is insufficient to directly transport the residual liquid cargo located at the bottom of the tank to the deck through pipelines. This fails to meet the requirements of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This disclosure provides a submersible pump and a vessel that can improve tank cleaning efficiency. The technical solution is as follows:

[0007] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides a submersible pump for use on a ship. The submersible pump includes a pump assembly and a tank cleaning assembly. The pump assembly includes a pump body and a cargo pipe. The pump body is connected to the cargo pipe, which includes an inlet port and an outlet port, which are opposite ends of the cargo pipe. The tank cleaning assembly includes a buffer tank, a tank cleaning pipe, a transmission pipe, an air supply pipe, and a pressure regulating device. The buffer tank is connected to the cargo pipe. A first port of the tank cleaning pipe is near the inlet port of the cargo pipe, and a second port of the tank cleaning pipe is connected to the buffer tank. A first port of the transmission pipe is connected to the buffer tank, and a second port of the transmission pipe is connected to a portion of the cargo pipe near its own outlet port. A first port of the air supply pipe is connected to the buffer tank, and a second port of the air supply pipe is connected to the pressure regulating device. When the pressure regulating device draws in airflow, the cargo is output to the buffer tank via the tank cleaning pipe. When the pressure regulating device outputs airflow, the cargo is output to the transmission pipe via the buffer tank.

[0008] In one implementation of this disclosure, the buffer tank has an insertion hole; the buffer tank is sleeved outside the liquid cargo pipe, and the wall of the insertion hole is connected to the outer wall of the liquid cargo pipe.

[0009] In one implementation of this disclosure, the distance between the end of the buffer tank near the outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe and the end of the buffer tank near the inlet port of the liquid cargo pipe along the length of the liquid cargo pipe is 0.8 to 1.2 meters.

[0010] In one implementation of this disclosure, the distance between the end of the buffer tank near the outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe and the first port of the cleaning pipe is less than 5 meters along the length of the liquid cargo pipe.

[0011] In one implementation of this disclosure, the distance between the end of the buffer tank near the inlet port of the liquid cargo pipe and the first port of the cleaning pipe is less than 2 meters along the length of the liquid cargo pipe.

[0012] In one implementation of this disclosure, the distance between the second port of the cleaning pipe and the first port of the cleaning pipe along the length of the liquid cargo pipe is greater than the distance between the first port of the transmission pipe and the first port of the cleaning pipe.

[0013] In one implementation of this disclosure, the cleaning assembly further includes a first one-way valve; the first one-way valve is disposed between the first port and the second port of the cleaning pipe.

[0014] In one implementation of this disclosure, the liquid cargo pipe includes a vertical section and a horizontal section; the first port of the vertical section is connected to the first port of the horizontal section, the second port of the vertical section is the liquid inlet port, and the second port of the horizontal section is the liquid outlet port.

[0015] In one implementation of this disclosure, the vertical section includes a main pipe and a drainage pipe connected together; the main pipe is arranged vertically, and the inner diameter of the main pipe is larger than the inner diameter of the drainage pipe, and the drainage pipe is inclined to the main pipe.

[0016] In one implementation of this disclosure, the pump assembly further includes a first liquid cargo shut-off valve; the first liquid cargo shut-off valve is located within the horizontal section of the liquid cargo pipe and is close to the outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe.

[0017] In one implementation of this disclosure, the second port of the transmission pipe is connected to the horizontal section of the liquid cargo pipe, and the connection between the transmission pipe and the horizontal section is located between the first liquid cargo shut-off valve and the liquid cargo pipe outlet port.

[0018] In one implementation of this disclosure, the tank cleaning assembly further includes a second liquid cargo shut-off valve; the second liquid cargo shut-off valve is disposed between the first port and the second port of the transmission pipe, and the second liquid cargo shut-off valve is close to the second port of the transmission pipe.

[0019] In one implementation of this disclosure, the cleaning assembly further includes a second one-way valve; the second one-way valve is disposed between the first port and the second port of the transmission pipe.

[0020] In one implementation of this disclosure, the first port of the gas transmission pipe is located at the end of the buffer tank near the liquid outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe.

[0021] In one implementation of this disclosure, the tank cleaning assembly further includes a gas shut-off valve; the gas shut-off valve is disposed between the first port and the second port of the gas transmission pipe.

[0022] In one implementation of this disclosure, the air pressure regulating device includes a vacuum ejector, a three-way valve, and an air source; the first inlet of the vacuum ejector is connected to the first port of the three-way valve, the second inlet of the vacuum ejector is connected to the second port of the air supply pipe; the second port of the three-way valve is connected to the second port of the air supply pipe, and the third port of the three-way valve is connected to the air source.

[0023] In one implementation of this disclosure, the pump assembly further includes a mounting bracket; both the pump body and the liquid cargo pipe are inserted into the mounting bracket, and the mounting bracket is located near the outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe.

[0024] Secondly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a vessel that also includes the submersible pump described in the first aspect.

[0025] In one implementation of this disclosure, the vessel includes a cargo tank and a deck; a first side and a second side of the deck are opposite sides of the deck; the cargo tank is located on the first side of the deck; the pump assembly is connected to the deck, the pump body and the inlet port of the cargo pipe are located on the first side of the deck, and the outlet port of the cargo pipe is located on the second side of the deck; the buffer tank, the cleaning pipe, the first port of the transmission pipe, and the first port of the gas transmission pipe are respectively located on the first side of the deck, and the second port of the transmission pipe, the second port of the gas transmission pipe, and the pressure regulating device are respectively located on the second side of the deck.

[0026] In one implementation of this disclosure, the liquid cargo tank has a liquid cargo well on the side away from the deck, the liquid cargo well is recessed away from the deck, and the first port of the liquid cargo pipe and the first port of the tank cleaning pipe are both located in the liquid cargo well.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the technical solutions provided in this disclosure include at least the following:

[0028] When pumping liquid cargo, the pump works, allowing the liquid cargo in the cargo tank to enter through the inlet port of the cargo pipe and be output to the outside through the outlet port of the cargo pipe.

[0029] After the liquid cargo is pumped out, the tank cleaning operation begins. The pump stops, and the pressure regulating device lowers the pressure in the buffer tank. Under the low pressure, the liquid cargo in the tank enters through the first port of the cleaning pipe and exits through the second port into the buffer tank. When the liquid cargo in the buffer tank accumulates to a certain level, the pressure regulating device increases the pressure in the buffer tank. Under the high pressure, the liquid cargo in the buffer tank enters through the first port of the transfer pipe and exits through the second port into the liquid cargo pipe, which then discharges it to the outside.

[0030] During the tank cleaning process, the liquid cargo in the cargo tank is temporarily stored in a buffer tank located between the bilge and deck of the cargo tank under the action of a pneumatic pressure regulating device. Then, under the action of the pneumatic pressure regulating device, it is discharged from the buffer tank to the outside. In this way, the liquid cargo is transported in two stages instead of in a single transport in related technologies, which reduces the liquid cargo driving force required for a single transport. Therefore, the submersible pump can be adapted to the cargo tank with a large depth, and it can also meet the requirements for tank cleaning of large ships. Attached Figure Description

[0031] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, the accompanying drawings used in the description of the embodiments will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the accompanying drawings described below are only some embodiments of this disclosure. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0032] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a submersible pump provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0033] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the buffer tank provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0034] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the buffer tank provided in an embodiment of this disclosure;

[0035] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of another submersible pump provided in an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0036] The symbols in the diagram represent the following meanings: 10, Pump assembly; 110, Pump body; 120, Cargo pipe; 121, Vertical section; 122, Horizontal section; 123, Main pipe; 124, Drainage pipe; 130, First cargo shut-off valve; 140, Mounting bracket; 20, Cleaning assembly; 210, Buffer tank; 211, Insertion port; 220, Cleaning pipe; 230, Transfer pipe; 240, Gas pipe; 250, Pressure regulating device; 251, Vacuum ejector; 252, Three-way valve; 253, Gas source; 260, Gas shut-off valve; 270, Second cargo shut-off valve; 280, First check valve; 290, Second check valve; 100, Cargo tank; 200, Deck; 300, Cargo well.

[0037] The accompanying drawings have illustrated specific embodiments of this disclosure, which will be described in more detail below. These drawings and descriptions are not intended to limit the scope of the concept in any way, but rather to illustrate the concepts of this disclosure to those skilled in the art through reference to particular embodiments. Detailed Implementation

[0038] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this disclosure clearer, the embodiments of this disclosure will be described in further detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0039] This disclosure provides a submersible pump that can be applied to ships. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of the structure of a submersible pump provided in this disclosure. The solid arrows in Figure 1 indicate the flow direction of gas or liquid cargo. Referring to Figure 1, in this embodiment, the submersible pump includes: a pump assembly 10 and a tank cleaning assembly 20.

[0040] Pump assembly 10 includes a pump body 110 and a cargo pipe 120. The pump body 110 is connected to the cargo pipe 120, which includes an inlet port and an outlet port, which are opposite ends of the cargo pipe 120. Tank cleaning assembly 20 includes a buffer tank 210, a cleaning pipe 220, a transmission pipe 230, an air supply pipe 240, and a pressure regulating device 250. The buffer tank 210 is connected to the cargo pipe 120. The first port of the cleaning pipe 220 is near the inlet port of the cargo pipe 120, and the second port of the cleaning pipe 220 is connected to the buffer tank 210. The first port of the transmission pipe 230 is connected to the buffer tank 210, and the second port of the transmission pipe 230 is connected to the portion of the cargo pipe 120 near its own outlet port. The first port of the air supply pipe 240 is connected to the buffer tank 210, and the second port of the air supply pipe 240 is connected to the pressure regulating device 250.

[0041] When the pressure regulating device 250 lowers the pressure in the buffer tank 210, the liquid cargo is output to the buffer tank 210 through the cleaning pipe 220. When the pressure regulating device 250 raises the pressure in the buffer tank 210, the liquid cargo is output to the transmission pipe 230 through the buffer tank 210.

[0042] The first port of the cleaning pipe 220 is close to the inlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120, which means that the distance between the first port of the cleaning pipe 220 and the inlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120 is less than the distance between the first port of the cleaning pipe 220 and the outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120.

[0043] When pumping liquid cargo, the pump body 110 works, providing power for the liquid cargo pipe 120 to draw in liquid cargo, so that the liquid cargo in the liquid cargo tank enters through the inlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120 and is output to the outside through the outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120.

[0044] After the liquid cargo is pumped, the tank cleaning operation begins. Pump 110 stops, and pressure regulating device 250 lowers the pressure in the buffer tank. Under this low pressure, the liquid cargo in the tank enters through the first port of cleaning pipe 220 and exits through the second port of cleaning pipe 220 into buffer tank 210. When the liquid cargo in buffer tank 210 accumulates to a certain level, pressure regulating device 250 increases the pressure in the buffer tank. Under this high pressure, the liquid cargo in buffer tank 210 enters through the first port of transfer pipe 230 and exits through the second port of transfer pipe 230 into liquid cargo pipe 120, from which it is then discharged to the outside.

[0045] During the tank cleaning process, the liquid cargo in the cargo tank is temporarily stored in a buffer tank 210 located between the bilge of the cargo tank 100 and the deck 200 under the action of the pressure regulating device 250. Then, under the action of the pressure regulating device 250, the liquid cargo is discharged to the outside through the buffer tank 210. This changes the liquid cargo transportation from a single transfer to a two-stage transfer, reducing the liquid cargo driving force required for a single transfer. Therefore, the submersible pump can be adapted to cargo tanks with greater depths, and for tank cleaning of large ships, it can also meet the requirements of the International Code for the Construction and Equipment of Ships Carrying Dangerous Chemicals in Bulk.

[0046] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the buffer tank. Referring to Figure 2, in this embodiment, the buffer tank 210 has an insertion hole 211 inside. The buffer tank 210 is sleeved on the outside of the liquid cargo pipe 120, and the wall of the insertion hole 211 is connected to the outer wall of the liquid cargo pipe 120.

[0047] In the above implementation, the insertion hole 211 provides a accommodating space for the liquid cargo pipe 120, which is inserted into the insertion hole 211. The connection between the liquid cargo pipe 120 and the hole wall of the insertion hole 211 is achieved through the connection between the liquid cargo pipe 120 and the buffer tank 210. Placing the buffer tank 210 on the liquid cargo pipe 120 ensures the compact structure of the submersible pump and provides stable support for the buffer tank 210, preventing unnecessary shaking of the buffer tank 210.

[0048] Figure 3 is an assembly schematic diagram of the buffer tank 210. Figure 3 is a top view of Figure 2. Referring to Figure 3, the buffer tank 210 is, by way of example, a hollow cylindrical structure, and the insertion hole 211 is the hollow part of the buffer tank 210. The buffer tank 210 is coaxially sleeved on the outside of the liquid cargo pipe 120.

[0049] In other embodiments, the buffer tank 210 may not have an inner wall itself, but instead use the outer wall of the liquid cargo pipe 120 as its inner wall, thus forming a sealed container (buffer tank 210) for containing liquid cargo. This design can effectively reduce the weight of the buffer tank 210, thereby reducing the load on the liquid cargo pipe 120.

[0050] Of course, the buffer tank 210 can also be other shapes of structural components, such as square, etc., and this disclosure does not limit it.

[0051] In other embodiments, the buffer tank 210 does not have an insertion port 211, and the outer wall of the buffer tank 210 is connected to the outer wall of the liquid cargo pipe 120.

[0052] In the above implementation, the connection between the buffer tank 210 and the liquid cargo pipe 120 is simpler, reducing the assembly difficulty of the buffer tank 210.

[0053] When the outer wall of the buffer tank 210 is connected to the outer wall of the liquid cargo pipe 120, in order to ensure the reliability of the connection between the two, a support frame is provided between the buffer tank 210 and the liquid cargo pipe 120. The support frame is located at the angle between the outer wall of the buffer tank 210 and the outer wall of the liquid cargo pipe 120, and is connected to the buffer tank 210 and the liquid cargo pipe 120 respectively.

[0054] For example, the buffer tank 210 and the liquid cargo pipe 120 are welded together.

[0055] The connection between the buffer tank 210 and the liquid cargo pipe 120 is made by welding, which ensures the reliability of the connection.

[0056] After the submersible pump is installed in the ship, it is arranged vertically perpendicular to the horizontal plane. In this state, the length direction of the cargo pipe 120 is vertical. The end of the buffer tank 210 near the outlet port of the cargo pipe 120 is the top of the buffer tank 210, and the end of the buffer tank 210 near the inlet port of the cargo pipe 120 is the bottom of the buffer tank 210.

[0057] Referring again to Figure 1, in this embodiment, the distance 'a' between the end of the buffer tank 210 near the outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120 and the end of the buffer tank 210 near the inlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120 along the length of the liquid cargo pipe 120 is 0.8 to 1.2 meters.

[0058] In the above implementation, the distance 'a' between the top and bottom of the buffer tank 210 in the vertical direction is 0.8 to 1.2 meters, that is, the height of the buffer tank 210 is 0.8 to 1.2 meters. In this way, the volume of the buffer tank 210 can be guaranteed, while the load on the liquid cargo pipe 120 can be reduced.

[0059] In this embodiment, along the length of the liquid cargo pipe 120, the distance b between the end of the buffer tank 210 near the outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120 and the first port of the cleaning pipe 220 is less than 5 meters.

[0060] In the above implementation, the distance b between the top of the buffer tank 210 and the first port of the cleaning pipe 220 in the vertical direction is less than 5 meters, so that the top of the buffer tank 210 is lower, and the buffer tank 210 as a whole can be in a lower position, which makes it easier to maintain the buffer tank 210.

[0061] In this embodiment, along the length of the liquid cargo pipe 120, the distance c between the end of the buffer tank 210 near the liquid inlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120 and the first port of the cleaning pipe 220 is less than 2 meters.

[0062] In the above implementation, the distance c between the bottom of the buffer tank 210 and the first port of the cleaning pipe 220 in the vertical direction is less than 2 meters. This results in a lower bottom for the buffer tank 210, allowing it to fully utilize the vertical space within a limited area and thus have a larger volume. Furthermore, the lower bottom of the buffer tank 210 helps to reduce the length of the cleaning pipe 220, facilitating the flow of liquid cargo from the cleaning pipe 220 into the buffer tank 210.

[0063] As mentioned earlier, the liquid cargo is first temporarily stored in the buffer tank 210. After accumulating a certain amount, it is then discharged to the outside through the buffer tank. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the liquid cargo cannot leak out through the transfer pipe 230 during the process of entering the buffer tank 210, and that the liquid cargo cannot flow back through the cleaning pipe 220 during the process of exiting the buffer tank 210. To meet these conditions, two methods are provided, which will be explained in turn below.

[0064] Referring again to Figure 1, in some examples, the cleaning assembly 20 also includes a first one-way valve 280, which is disposed between the first port and the second port of the cleaning pipe 220.

[0065] The first one-way valve 280 allows the liquid to flow from the first port of the cleaning pipe 220 to the second port. During the intake process of the pressure regulating device 250, the liquid flows from the second port of the cleaning pipe 220 into the buffer tank 210 and is temporarily stored in the buffer tank 210. Because the second port of the transfer pipe 230 is high enough, the liquid will not leak out of the transfer pipe 230 even if the first port of the transfer pipe 230 is lower. During the supply process of the pressure regulating device 250, under the restriction of the first one-way valve 280, the liquid can only flow out from the first port of the transfer pipe 230 and cannot flow out from the second port of the cleaning pipe 220.

[0066] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of another submersible pump provided in an embodiment of this disclosure. Referring to Figure 4, in some other examples, in the length direction of the cargo pipe 120, the distance d between the second port of the cleaning pipe 220 and the first port of the cleaning pipe 220 is greater than the distance e between the first port of the transmission pipe 230 and the first port of the cleaning pipe 220.

[0067] Vertically, the second port of the cleaning pipe 220 is higher than the first port of the transfer pipe 230. During the intake process of the pressure regulating device 250, the liquid flows from the second port of the cleaning pipe 220 into the buffer tank 210 and is temporarily stored in the space between the second port of the cleaning pipe 220 and the first port of the transfer pipe 230. Because the second port of the transfer pipe 230 is high enough, even if the first port of the transfer pipe 230 is lower, the liquid will not leak out of the transfer pipe 230. During the supply process of air by the pressure regulating device 250, because the first port of the transfer pipe 230 is lower and the second port of the cleaning pipe 220 is higher, the liquid can only flow out from the first port of the transfer pipe 230 and cannot flow out from the second port of the cleaning pipe 220.

[0068] It is worth noting that, under these circumstances, the liquid level in the buffer tank 210 should not exceed the second port of the cleaning pipe 220, so as to avoid the liquid from flowing back through the cleaning pipe 220 during the gas supply process of the pressure regulating device 250.

[0069] Referring again to Figure 1, in this embodiment, the liquid cargo pipe 120 includes a vertical section 121 and a horizontal section 122. The first port of the vertical section 121 is connected to the first port of the horizontal section 122. The second port of the vertical section 121 is the liquid inlet port, and the second port of the horizontal section 122 is the liquid outlet port.

[0070] In the above implementation, the vertical section 121 is arranged in a vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and the horizontal section is arranged in a horizontal direction parallel to the horizontal plane. In this way, on the one hand, the liquid can flow out through the vertical section 121 with a shorter stroke, and on the other hand, the liquid flowing into the horizontal section 122 is less likely to flow back, and it is convenient to connect to other external pipelines.

[0071] For example, the vertical section 121 includes a main pipe 123 and a drainage pipe 124 connected together. The main pipe 123 is arranged vertically, and the inner diameter of the main pipe 123 is larger than the inner diameter of the drainage pipe 124. The drainage pipe 124 is inclined to the main pipe 123.

[0072] The diversion pipe 124 is in direct contact with the liquid cargo and is designed at an angle to facilitate the extraction of liquid cargo from the bottom of the liquid cargo tank 100. The inner diameter of the main pipe 123 is larger than that of the diversion pipe 124, which helps to improve the efficiency of liquid cargo transportation.

[0073] Referring again to Figure 1, in this embodiment, the pump assembly 10 further includes a first liquid shut-off valve 130, which is located in the horizontal section 122 of the liquid pipeline 120 and is close to the liquid outlet port of the liquid pipeline 120.

[0074] The first liquid shut-off valve 130 is located near the outlet port of the liquid pipeline 120, meaning the distance between the first liquid shut-off valve 130 and the outlet port of the liquid pipeline 120 is less than the distance between the first liquid shut-off valve 130 and the inlet port of the liquid pipeline 120.

[0075] In the above implementation, the first liquid cargo shut-off valve 130 is used to control the connection or disconnection between the outlet port and the inlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120. When pumping liquid cargo, the first liquid cargo shut-off valve 130 is open, allowing the liquid cargo to flow from the inlet port to the outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120, thereby realizing the transportation of the liquid cargo. During tank cleaning operations, the first liquid cargo shut-off valve 130 is closed, ensuring that the liquid cargo can only be output through the second port of the liquid cargo pipe 120 and cannot flow back through the first port of the liquid cargo pipe 120.

[0076] In this embodiment, the second port of the transmission pipe 230 is connected to the horizontal section 122 of the liquid cargo pipe 120, and the connection between the transmission pipe 230 and the horizontal section 122 is located between the first liquid cargo shut-off valve 130 and the liquid cargo pipe 120 outlet port.

[0077] Since the second port of the transmission pipe 230 is located in the horizontal section 122 of the liquid cargo pipe 120, when the liquid enters the liquid cargo pipe 120 through the second port of the transmission pipe 230, it will flow directly into the horizontal section 122 of the liquid cargo pipe 120, preventing the liquid from flowing back through the vertical section 121 of the liquid cargo pipe 120. Furthermore, since the first liquid cargo shut-off valve 130 is also located in the horizontal section 122 of the liquid cargo pipe 120, and the connection between the transmission pipe 230 and the horizontal section 122 is located between the first liquid cargo shut-off valve 130 and the outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120, the liquid input into the horizontal section 122 through the second port of the transmission pipe 230 can be further confined to the horizontal section 122, preventing backflow.

[0078] In this embodiment, the tank cleaning assembly 20 further includes a second liquid cargo shut-off valve 270, which is disposed between the first port and the second port of the transmission pipe 230, and the second liquid cargo shut-off valve 270 is close to the second port of the transmission pipe 230.

[0079] The second liquid cargo shut-off valve 270 is close to the second port of the transmission pipe 230, meaning that the distance between the second liquid cargo shut-off valve 270 and the second port of the transmission pipe 230 is less than the distance between the second liquid cargo shut-off valve 270 and the first port of the transmission pipe 230.

[0080] In the above implementation, the second cargo shut-off valve 270 is used to control the connection or disconnection of the transmission pipe 230. When pumping cargo, the second cargo shut-off valve 270 is closed, causing the transmission pipe 230 to shut off, preventing cargo from flowing back from the cargo pipe 120 to the buffer tank 210 via the transmission pipe 230. During tank cleaning operations, the second cargo shut-off valve 270 is opened, connecting the transmission pipe 230, allowing cargo to flow from the buffer tank 210 to the cargo pipe 120 via the transmission pipe 230.

[0081] In this embodiment, the cleaning assembly 20 further includes a second one-way valve 290, which is disposed between the first port and the second port of the transmission pipe 230.

[0082] In the above implementation, the inlet end of the second one-way valve 290 is connected to the first port of the transmission pipe 230, and the outlet end of the second one-way valve 290 is connected to the second port of the transmission pipe 230, so that the liquid can only flow from the first port to the second port of the transmission pipe 230, thereby preventing the liquid in the transmission pipe 230 from flowing back into the buffer tank 210.

[0083] As mentioned above, the pressure regulating device 250 can adjust the pressure inside the buffer tank 210, thereby providing power for the liquid cargo intake buffer tank 210 and the liquid cargo output buffer tank 210. The pressure regulating device 250 is described below.

[0084] Referring again to Figure 1, in this embodiment, the air pressure regulating device 250 includes a vacuum ejector 251, a three-way valve 252, and an air source 253.

[0085] The first inlet of the vacuum ejector 251 is connected to the first port of the three-way valve 252, and the second inlet of the vacuum ejector 251 is connected to the second port of the gas supply pipe 240. The second port of the three-way valve 252 is connected to the second port of the gas supply pipe 240, and the third port of the three-way valve 252 is connected to the gas source 253.

[0086] In the above implementation, the three-way valve 252 can control its third port to connect with the first port, that is, to connect the gas source 253 and the vacuum ejector 251, or its third port to connect with the second port, that is, to connect the gas source 253 and the gas supply pipe 240.

[0087] The following is a brief introduction to the working principle of the three-way valve 252.

[0088] When it is necessary to suck the liquid cargo into the buffer tank 210, the third port of the three-way valve 252 is connected to the first port. The gas from the gas source 253 enters the first inlet of the vacuum ejector 251 and is output to the outside through the outlet of the vacuum ejector 251, which lowers the gas pressure at the second inlet of the vacuum ejector 251. As a result, the gas in the buffer tank 210 is pumped into the gas delivery pipe 240 through the gas delivery pipe 240, and the gas pressure in the buffer tank 210 is reduced accordingly. Then, the liquid cargo is sucked into the buffer tank 210 through the tank cleaning pipe 220.

[0089] When liquid needs to be discharged from buffer tank 210, the third port of three-way valve 252 connects to the second port, and gas from gas source 253 enters gas delivery pipe 240 and then enters buffer tank 210, increasing the gas pressure inside buffer tank 210. This causes the liquid in buffer tank 210 to be forced out through transfer pipe 230 until it enters liquid delivery pipe 120.

[0090] For example, the gas source 253 can output an inert gas, such as nitrogen. The gas source 253 can be a compressed air pipe, a gas generator, etc., and this disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0091] In this embodiment, the first port of the gas pipeline 240 is located at the end of the buffer tank 210 near the liquid outlet port of the liquid pipeline 120.

[0092] In the above implementation, the first port of the gas supply pipe 240 is located at the top of the buffer tank 210, so that the gas supply pipe 240 will not come into contact with the liquid in the buffer tank 210, thus avoiding contamination of the gas pressure regulating device 250 by the liquid.

[0093] In this embodiment, the cleaning assembly 20 further includes a gas shut-off valve 260, which is disposed between the first port and the second port of the gas supply pipe 240, and is located between the second inlet of the vacuum ejector 251 and the buffer tank 210.

[0094] In the above implementation, the gas shut-off valve 260 is used to control the connection or disconnection between the vacuum ejector 251 and the buffer tank 210. When it is necessary to draw liquid into the buffer tank 210, the gas shut-off valve 260 opens, connecting the vacuum ejector 251 and the buffer tank 210. When it is necessary to discharge liquid from the buffer tank 210, the gas shut-off valve 260 closes, shutting off the connection between the vacuum ejector 251 and the buffer tank 210.

[0095] In this embodiment, the pump assembly 10 further includes a mounting bracket 140, in which the pump body 110 and the liquid cargo pipe 120 are both inserted, and the mounting bracket 140 is close to the liquid outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120.

[0096] The distance between the mounting bracket 140 and the liquid outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120 is less than the distance between the mounting bracket 140 and the liquid inlet port of the liquid cargo pipe 120.

[0097] On the one hand, the mounting bracket can provide a mounting base for the pump body 110 and the liquid cargo pipe 120, and on the other hand, it can also provide a mounting base for the air pressure regulating device 250, the air supply pipe 240, and the transmission pipe 230.

[0098] This disclosure provides a vessel that includes the submersible pumps shown in Figures 1-3.

[0099] Since the vessel includes the submersible pumps shown in Figures 1-3, it possesses all the beneficial effects of the submersible pumps shown in Figures 1-3, which will not be elaborated further here.

[0100] In this embodiment, the vessel is a liquid cargo carrier used to transport various liquid cargoes.

[0101] The following describes the installation method of submersible pumps inside ships.

[0102] In this embodiment, the vessel includes a cargo tank 100 and a deck 200. The first and second sides of the deck 200 are opposite sides of the deck 200. The cargo tank 100 is located on the first side of the deck 200. A pump assembly 10 is connected to the deck 200; the pump body 110 and the inlet port of the cargo pipe 120 are located on the first side of the deck 200, and the outlet port of the cargo pipe 120 is located on the second side of the deck 200. A buffer tank 210, a cleaning pipe 220, the first port of a transmission pipe 230, and the first port of a gas transmission pipe 240 are all located on the first side of the deck 200, while the second ports of the transmission pipe 230, the gas transmission pipe 240, and the pressure regulating device 250 are all located on the second side of the deck 200.

[0103] The first side of deck 200 refers to the area below deck 200, and the second side of deck 200 refers to the area above deck 200. Positioning the pressure regulating device 250 on the second side of deck 200 facilitates its operation.

[0104] In this embodiment, the mounting bracket 140 is connected to the deck 200 to ensure the stable installation of the submersible pump on the deck 200.

[0105] In this embodiment, for ease of operation, the pressure regulating device 250, the gas shut-off valve 260, the second liquid cargo shut-off valve 270, and the first liquid cargo shut-off valve 130 are all located on the second side of the deck 200, that is, above the deck 200. For ease of liquid cargo intake, the buffer tank 210 is located in the liquid cargo tank 100 below the deck 200.

[0106] To facilitate the intake of liquid cargo by the pump assembly 10 and the cleaning assembly 20, the side of the liquid cargo tank 100 away from the deck 200 has a liquid cargo well 300. The liquid cargo well 300 is recessed away from the deck 200, and the first port of the liquid cargo pipe 120 and the first port of the cleaning pipe 220 are both located inside the liquid cargo well 300.

[0107] Unless otherwise defined, the technical or scientific terms used herein shall have the ordinary meaning understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this disclosure pertains. The terms “first,” “second,” “third,” and similar terms used in this patent application specification and claims do not indicate any order, quantity, or importance, but are merely used to distinguish different components. Similarly, the terms “an” or “a” and similar terms do not indicate a quantity limitation, but rather indicate the presence of at least one. The terms “comprising” or “including” and similar terms mean that the elements or objects preceding “comprising” or “including” encompass the elements or objects listed following “comprising” or “including” and their equivalents, and do not exclude other elements or objects. The terms “connected” or “linked” and similar terms are not limited to physical or mechanical connections, but can include electrical connections, whether direct or indirect. The terms “upper,” “lower,” “left,” “right,” etc., are used only to indicate relative positional relationships; when the absolute position of the described objects changes, the relative positional relationship may also change accordingly.

[0108] The above description is merely an optional embodiment of this disclosure and is not intended to limit this disclosure. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this disclosure should be included within the protection scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A submersible pump for use in a vessel, the submersible pump comprising: Pump assembly (10) and tank cleaning assembly (20); The pump assembly (10) includes a pump body (110) and a liquid cargo pipe (120). The pump body (110) is connected to the liquid cargo pipe (120). The liquid cargo pipe (120) includes an inlet port and an outlet port, which are the opposite ends of the liquid cargo pipe (120). The tank cleaning assembly (20) includes a buffer tank (210), a cleaning pipe (220), a transmission pipe (230), a gas supply pipe (240), and a pressure regulating device (250). The buffer tank (210) is connected to the liquid cargo pipe (120). The first port of the cleaning pipe (220) is close to the inlet port of the liquid cargo pipe (120), and the second port of the cleaning pipe (220) is connected to the buffer tank (210). The first port of the transmission pipe (230) is connected to the buffer tank (210), and the second port of the transmission pipe (230) is connected to the liquid cargo pipe (120). The part of the gas pipe (240) near its own liquid outlet is connected. The first port of the gas pipe (240) is connected to the buffer tank (210), and the second port of the gas pipe (240) is connected to the pressure regulating device (250). When the pressure regulating device (250) reduces the pressure in the buffer tank (210), the liquid cargo is output to the buffer tank (210) through the cleaning pipe (220). When the pressure regulating device (250) increases the pressure in the buffer tank (210), the liquid cargo is output to the transmission pipe (230) through the buffer tank (210).

2. The submersible pump according to claim 1, wherein, The buffer tank (210) has an insertion hole (211); The buffer tank (210) is sleeved outside the liquid cargo pipe (120), and the wall of the insertion hole (211) is connected to the outer wall of the liquid cargo pipe (120).

3. The submersible pump according to claim 1, wherein, Along the length of the liquid cargo pipe (120), the distance between the end of the buffer tank (210) near the outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe (120) and the end of the buffer tank (210) near the inlet port of the liquid cargo pipe (120) is 0.8 to 1.2 meters.

4. The submersible pump according to claim 1, wherein, Along the length of the liquid cargo pipe (120), the distance between the end of the buffer tank (210) near the outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe (120) and the first port of the cleaning pipe (220) is less than 5 meters.

5. The submersible pump according to claim 1, wherein, Along the length of the liquid cargo pipe (120), the distance between the end of the buffer tank (210) near the inlet port of the liquid cargo pipe (120) and the first port of the cleaning pipe (220) is less than 2 meters.

6. The submersible pump according to claim 1, wherein, Along the length of the cargo pipe (120), the distance between the second port of the cleaning pipe (220) and the first port of the cleaning pipe (220) is greater than the distance between the first port of the transmission pipe (230) and the first port of the cleaning pipe (220).

7. The submersible pump according to claim 1, wherein, The tank cleaning assembly (20) also includes a first one-way valve (280); The first one-way valve (280) is disposed between the first port and the second port of the cleaning pipe (220).

8. The submersible pump according to claim 1, wherein, The liquid cargo pipe (120) includes a vertical section (121) and a horizontal section (122); The first port of the vertical section (121) is connected to the first port of the horizontal section (122), the second port of the vertical section (121) is the liquid inlet port, and the second port of the horizontal section (122) is the liquid outlet port.

9. The submersible pump according to claim 8, wherein, The vertical section (121) includes a connected main pipe (123) and a drainage pipe (124); The main pipe (123) is arranged vertically, and the inner diameter of the main pipe (123) is larger than the inner diameter of the drainage pipe (124). The drainage pipe (124) is inclined to the main pipe (123).

10. The submersible pump according to claim 8, wherein, The pump assembly (10) also includes a first liquid shut-off valve (130); The first liquid cargo shut-off valve (130) is located in the horizontal section (122) of the liquid cargo pipe (120), and the first liquid cargo shut-off valve (130) is close to the liquid outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe (120).

11. The submersible pump according to claim 10, wherein, The second port of the transmission pipe (230) is connected to the horizontal section (122) of the liquid cargo pipe (120), and the connection between the transmission pipe (230) and the horizontal section (122) is located between the first liquid cargo shut-off valve (130) and the liquid cargo pipe (120).

12. The submersible pump according to claim 1, wherein, The tank cleaning assembly (20) also includes a second liquid cargo shut-off valve (270); The second liquid cargo shut-off valve (270) is disposed between the first port and the second port of the transmission pipe (230), and the second liquid cargo shut-off valve (270) is close to the second port of the transmission pipe (230).

13. The submersible pump according to claim 1, wherein, The cleaning assembly (20) also includes a second one-way valve (290); The second one-way valve (290) is disposed between the first port and the second port of the transmission pipe (230).

14. The submersible pump according to claim 1, wherein, The first port of the gas pipeline (240) is located at the end of the buffer tank (210) near the liquid outlet port of the liquid cargo pipeline (120).

15. The submersible pump according to claim 1, wherein, The cleaning assembly (20) also includes a gas shut-off valve (260); The gas shut-off valve (260) is located between the first port and the second port of the gas pipeline (240).

16. The submersible pump according to claim 1, wherein, The pressure regulating device (250) includes a vacuum ejector (251), a three-way valve (252), and a gas source (253); The first inlet of the vacuum ejector (251) is connected to the first port of the three-way valve (252), and the second inlet of the vacuum ejector (251) is connected to the second port of the gas supply pipe (240). The second port of the three-way valve (252) is connected to the second port of the gas pipeline (240), and the third port of the three-way valve (252) is connected to the gas source (253).

17. The submersible pump according to claim 1, wherein, The pump assembly (10) also includes a mounting bracket (140); The pump body (110) and the liquid cargo pipe (120) are both inserted into the mounting bracket (140), and the mounting bracket (140) is close to the liquid outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe (120).

18. A vessel comprising a submersible pump as described in any one of claims 1 to 17.

19. The vessel according to claim 18, wherein, It also includes a liquid cargo tank (100) and a deck (200); The first side and the second side of the deck (200) are opposite sides of the deck (200); The liquid cargo tank (100) is located on the first side of the deck (200); The pump assembly (10) is connected to the deck (200), the inlet ports of the pump body (110) and the liquid cargo pipe (120) are located on the first side of the deck (200), and the outlet port of the liquid cargo pipe (120) is located on the second side of the deck (200). The buffer tank (210), the cleaning pipe (220), the first port of the transmission pipe (230), and the first port of the gas supply pipe (240) are respectively located on the first side of the deck (200), and the second port of the transmission pipe (230), the second port of the gas supply pipe (240), and the pressure regulating device (250) are respectively located on the second side of the deck (200).

20. The vessel according to claim 19, wherein, The cargo tank (100) has a cargo well (300) on the side away from the deck (200); The cargo well (300) is recessed away from the deck (200), and the first port of the cargo pipe (120) and the first port of the cleaning pipe (220) are both located inside the cargo well (300).

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