Floating Gas Refueling Facility With Modular Container Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to provide a reliable and efficient method for delivering large volumes of natural gas to temporary or remote coastal locations, as traditional pipeline infrastructure is cumbersome and unsuitable for such locations due to regulatory issues, terrain difficulties, and the need for ongoing maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A gas supply marine vessel equipped with a buoyant hull, gantry assembly, and articulating crane, along with floating and land-based refueling facilities, allows for the transportation and storage of stackable fuel container assemblies that can be fluidically coupled to gas interface modules, enabling the efficient delivery and storage of natural gas in remote areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If pipeline infrastructure is installed to deliver natural gas, then steady supply of large volumes of natural gas is achieved, but construction time increases to years and infrastructure complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments natural gas into portable container assemblies (e.g., 20-50 thousand cubic feet each) that can be independently transported and stacked. Multiple containers are arranged in modular units that can be delivered by marine vessels and stacked vertically, eliminating the need for continuous pipeline construction while maintaining large-volume supply capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static pipeline infrastructure to dynamic, movable container assemblies that can be rapidly deployed and repositioned. Containers are designed to be quickly loaded onto marine vessels, transported to remote locations, and assembled without extensive construction work, enabling rapid deployment compared to traditional pipeline systems.
2Quantity of substance
If pipeline infrastructure is installed to deliver natural gas, then steady supply of large volumes of natural gas is achieved, but device complexity increases due to pumping stations and ongoing monitoring
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts the gas storage and delivery function from complex pipeline infrastructure with pumping stations and monitoring systems. Instead, simple pressurized container assemblies are used that can be passively filled from marine vessels and directly connected to distribution points, eliminating the need for intermediate pumping stations and complex monitoring infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The container assemblies are designed to be self-contained units that maintain their own pressure and can be directly connected to distribution systems without requiring external pumping stations or complex control systems. The modules serve themselves through their inherent pressurization and modular design.
3Quantity of substance
If pipeline infrastructure is installed to deliver natural gas, then steady supply to remote locations is achieved, but adaptability to temporary or remote locations decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides gas supply into modular container assemblies that can be independently transported and deployed. Each container is a self-contained unit that can be delivered by marine vessels to any accessible coastal location, then stacked and connected in various configurations to meet different volume requirements, providing high adaptability to temporary or remote sites.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses movable, reconfigurable container assemblies instead of fixed pipeline infrastructure. Containers can be rapidly deployed, repositioned, or removed based on changing needs, and can be stacked in different arrangements to adapt to various site constraints and volume requirements, providing versatility for temporary or remote locations.
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 solution enables the flexible and efficient delivery of large volumes of natural gas to remote locations without the need for extensive pipeline infrastructure, facilitating quick deployment and scalability of gas supply to areas that would otherwise be inaccessible.
Implementation Method 1
a buoyant, elongated hull with a first hull side and an opposing second hull side
Data Source
AI summary
A gas supply marine vessel and a refueling facility are described. The gas supply marine vessel includes a hull with an upper deck having an elongated cargo cavity formed therein. Gas interface modules are disposed in the cavity and extend between hull sides, each module having a plurality of fuel vessel docking stations. A plurality of stacked fuel container assemblies are fluidically coupled to the docking stations. A gantry, is movable along the length of the cavity, straddles the cargo cavity between hull sides. An articulating crane is mounted on the gantry and it utilized to move fuel container assemblies to a fuel container depression formed in the deck of a floating refueling facility. The floating refueling facility includes a concave side to facilitate mooring adjacent a shoreline, the concave side forming angled extensions at corners of the deck with a linkspan extending from each of the angled extensions.