Foldable Net Cage Breakwater With Inflatable Airbags
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floating breakwaters are heavy, complex, and inefficient to install and disassemble, with limited adaptability to different wave conditions and sea areas, requiring a solution for rapid deployment and flexibility in wave protection.
Innovation Solution
A fast-laid floating breakwater design combining a foldable net cage with box-type rubber airbags, a counterweight system, and an anchoring system, allowing for inflation and deflation to adjust shape and size, reducing weight and construction complexity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional bottom-mounted breakwaters are used, then wave protection function is provided, but construction difficulty and costs increase with deep sea development
Solution Approach 1:
The breakwater is divided into multiple detachable floating modules that can be independently manufactured, transported, and assembled. Each module contains its own airbag system and net cage structure, allowing for simplified construction in deep sea environments without requiring complex foundation work.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs inflatable airbags as the primary buoyancy mechanism. These airbags can be inflated at the construction site to provide flotation, eliminating the need for heavy concrete or steel buoyant structures and significantly reducing construction complexity and cost.
2Reliability
If existing floating breakwaters are made of steel and concrete with large sizes, then wave protection capability is achieved, but long-distance transportation becomes inconvenient
Solution Approach 1:
The breakwater modules are designed to be dynamically configurable through inflation and deflation of airbags. During transportation, airbags are deflated to minimize volume and weight. Upon deployment, airbags are inflated to provide full wave protection capability, thus resolving the contradiction between protection capability and transportation ease.
Solution Approach 2:
The physical state of the breakwater modules is changed by controlling the inflation pressure and volume of airbags. In deflated state, modules occupy minimal space for efficient transportation. In inflated state, they achieve the required buoyancy and wave protection parameters, allowing the same structure to satisfy both transportation and functional requirements.
3Stability of the object's composition
If existing floating breakwaters have complex structures with connection units, then structural integrity is maintained, but installation and disassembly become complicated with heavy construction workload
Solution Approach 1:
The breakwater is segmented into standardized modules with simplified connection interfaces. Each module maintains structural integrity through its self-contained airbag and net cage system, while connections between modules are designed to be quick and straightforward, enabling rapid assembly and disassembly without compromising overall structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functional elements (buoyancy system, structural frame, anchoring points) are merged into integrated modules. This consolidation eliminates the need for separate connection units and reduces the number of assembly steps, thereby increasing installation productivity while maintaining structural integrity through the unified module design.
4Adaptability or versatility
If a floating breakwater needs to protect different sea areas with different wave conditions, then adaptability is required, but changing the configuration increases complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The breakwater configuration is made dynamic through controllable airbag inflation. Different numbers and combinations of airbags can be inflated to adjust the breakwater's shape, size, and wave protection characteristics, allowing adaptation to various sea areas and wave conditions without increasing physical structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system achieves adaptability by changing operational parameters (airbag inflation pressure and volume) rather than physical configuration. This allows the same modular structure to be optimized for different wave conditions through parameter adjustment, maintaining low complexity while maximizing versatility.
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
Enhances the breakwater's integrity and adaptability to various wave conditions, simplifies installation and disassembly, reduces transportation costs, and allows for quick deployment and adjustment to different sea areas.
Implementation Method 1
each of the plurality of box-type rubber airbags is fixed in the each of the plurality of cabins, and an air valve is set at the upper part of each of the plurality of box-type rubber airbags
Implementation Method 2
the counterweight system is provided at bottoms of the plurality of frames
Implementation Method 3
The foldable net cage consists of a plurality of frames and a flexible net
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a fast-laid floating breakwater, which belongs to the field of ocean engineering and includes a foldable net cage, box-type rubber airbags, a counterweight system and a mooring system. The foldable net cage includes frames and a flexible net, and the frames divide the net cage into cabins. An air valve is provided at the upper part of each box-type rubber airbag and connected to the net, and the airbags are fixed in the cabins. The counterweight system is provided at the bottoms of the frames. The mooring system includes pull rings, mooring chains and anchors; the pull rings are connected to two sides of the lower end of each frame. The immersion depth of the breakwater can be regulated through weights of the frames and the counterweights, thereby fastening the breakwater laying.