Double-Wall Suction Pile Cofferdam for Uneven Seabeds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cofferdams and suction piles face challenges in efficiently securing and maintaining stability on uneven seabeds, particularly during deep-sea operations for sediment excavation and construction projects, due to varying seabed characteristics.
Innovation Solution
The integration of double-walled structures with suction piles and fluidic conduits allows for the creation of cofferdams that can be anchored to the seabed by inducing negative pressure, enabling secure attachment and excavation through controlled removal of water, with optional telescoping configurations for deeper penetration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If conventional cofferdams are used on uneven seabeds, then installation is simple, but stability and anchoring effectiveness deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The suction pile incorporates a telescoping mechanism with multiple sections that can extend and retract. During installation, the suction pile telescopes to a compact configuration for easier deployment, then extends to achieve full penetration depth and optimal anchoring stability on uneven seabed surfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction pile is divided into multiple telescoping sections that can independently adjust their lengths. This segmentation allows each section to adapt to varying seabed topography, maintaining stability while accommodating uneven surfaces through differential extension of individual segments.
2Force
If suction piles are used for deep-sea operations, then anchoring capability improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The telescoping suction pile employs a nested doll configuration where multiple cylindrical sections are inserted within each other. This nesting approach maximizes anchoring depth and force while minimizing the deployed structure's footprint and complexity during transport and installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The suction pile utilizes pneumatic or hydraulic mechanisms to control the telescoping sections. Fluid pressure systems enable smooth extension and retraction of segments, providing controlled anchoring force deployment without complex mechanical linkages, thereby reducing overall structural complexity.
3Productivity
If water is removed from cofferdam to enable excavation, then productivity improves, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The water removal process from the cofferdam employs periodic pumping cycles rather than continuous operation. Pumps operate in intervals, creating periodic vacuum phases that efficiently remove water while allowing energy recovery during non-pumping phases, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining sediment removal productivity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design enhances the stability and versatility of cofferdams on uneven seabeds, facilitating efficient sediment removal and construction operations by ensuring secure anchoring and adaptability to varying seabed conditions.
Implementation Method 1
Water is then pumped out of the structure causing a negative pressure inside the structure. The negative pressure forces the suction pile into the seabed sediment
Implementation Method 2
The integration of double-walled structures with suction piles and fluidic conduits allows for the creation of cofferdams that can be anchored to the seabed by inducing negative pressure, enabling secure attachment and excavation through controlled removal of water
Data Source
AI summary
A cofferdam is disclosed that includes an open frame structure having double walls defining a hollow space within each double wall, with each double wall having an open bottom end and a closed top end. Each of the double walls are configured to act as suction piles allowing liquid to be removed from the space within each double wall to thereby induce negative pressure when the cofferdam is installed in a sub-sea configuration. Each of the double walls may include a plurality of partitions respectively defining a plurality of suction piles, the suction piles fluidically coupled by a manifold that may allow liquid to be removed from the suction pile to thereby drive the cofferdam structure into the subsea surface due to the induced negative pressure. A further embodiment cofferdam structure includes an open frame structure and one or more suction piles attached to the open frame structure.