Foldable Umbilical Carousel Adapter for Permit-Free Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional carousel systems for storing and transporting rigid and flexible pipe products, such as subsea umbilicals, are cumbersome and require special permits for transportation due to their large size, leading to delays and increased project costs.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible carousel adapter system with foldable base legs and a drive unit that can be compacted for transportation, allowing for easier movement and assembly on offshore vessels, featuring a drive unit with foldable components and a modular drum design to reduce overall size and facilitate highway transport without special permits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If conventional carousel systems are used for storing and transporting subsea umbilicals, then the system provides adequate storage and deployment capability, but the system requires special permits for transportation due to large size, leading to delays and increased project costs
Solution Approach 1:
The carousel system is divided into multiple foldable base legs that can be independently collapsed, allowing the structure to be segmented for compact transportation while maintaining full functionality when deployed
Solution Approach 2:
The base legs are designed to be dynamically configurable between extended operational positions and collapsed transportation positions, enabling the system to adapt its size based on whether it is being used or transported
2Area of stationary object
If conventional carousel systems are used for storing and transporting rigid and flexible pipe products, then the system provides adequate storage capacity, but the system is cumbersome and requires special permits for transportation
Solution Approach 1:
The base structure is segmented into multiple foldable legs that can be collapsed independently, reducing the overall footprint for transportation while maintaining full storage capacity when deployed
Solution Approach 2:
The foldable base legs can be collapsed and nested within the carousel structure, allowing compact transportation without special permits while preserving full operational capacity
3Ease of operation
If conventional carousel systems are used for subsea umbilical deployment, then the system provides adequate deployment capability, but the system leads to project delays and increased costs due to transportation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The foldable base legs are pre-configured with hinge joints and locking mechanisms that enable rapid deployment from compact transportation state to full operational state, minimizing setup time and project delays
Data Source
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AI summary
A carousel for pipe products including cables and umbilicals includes a drum coupled to a carousel adapter (104), the carousel adapter coupled to a drive unit (106). The carousel adapter includes an upper base plate (110) opposite a lower base plate (112), a fixed base leg (114a) coupled between the upper base plate and the lower base plate and extending radially outwardly therefrom. The carousel adapter also includes a plurality of foldable base legs (114b, 114c, 114d) coupled between the upper base plate and the lower base plate and extending radially outwardly from the upper and lower base plates (110, 112). Each of the foldable base legs (114b, 114c, 114d) is disposed about a periphery of the upper and lower base plates and is rotatable about an independent axis perpendicular to the upper base plate (110) and the lower base plate (112).