Gyroscopic Spreader Bar for Controlled Offshore Pipe Joint Transfer
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Solution Overview
Problem
The offshore transfer of pipe joints from a pipe carrier vessel to a pipe laying vessel is challenging due to the instability caused by waves, requiring precise control of rotation and orientation to avoid collisions and human intervention, while maintaining high operational efficiency and safety.
Innovation Solution
A system with a spreader bar equipped with motor-driven flywheels and a crane control system that automatically adjusts the orientation and rotation of the spreader bar using tugger lines, lifting winches, and crane boom to stabilize and control the pipe joint transfer, reducing manual intervention and enhancing safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual intervention is used for pipe joint transfer, then operational flexibility is maintained, but safety risks and operational efficiency deteriorate due to wave instability and collision hazards
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables automatic pipe joint transfer operations through the crane control system that autonomously coordinates the crane boom, lifting winches, and spreader bar without manual intervention. The control system self-regulates the transfer process, stabilizing the pipe joint orientation and executing the complete transfer cycle automatically, thereby eliminating human exposure to hazardous wave conditions while maintaining high operational efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates sensors and control mechanisms that continuously monitor the position and orientation of the pipe joint during transfer. The crane control system receives feedback from these sensors and automatically adjusts the crane boom angle, lifting speed, and spreader bar position to maintain stable transfer operations despite wave-induced vessel movements, enabling safe and efficient automated operation
2Speed
If pipe joint orientation is not controlled, then transfer speed can be increased, but collision risks and operational safety deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary stabilization of the pipe joint orientation using the spreader bar and lifting ropes before the actual transfer motion begins. The crane control system pre-positions the pipe joint in the correct orientation and stabilizes it against wave-induced movements, ensuring that the subsequent high-speed transfer operation proceeds without collision risks
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the pipe joint orientation during the transfer operation in response to real-time conditions. The crane control system continuously modifies the crane boom angle, lifting winch speed, and spreader bar position to maintain optimal pipe joint orientation throughout the transfer, enabling both high speed and collision avoidance
3Measurement precision
If automated control systems are implemented, then safety and precision are improved, but system complexity and capital costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The crane control system is designed to perform multiple functions including pipe joint pickup, orientation control, transfer motion, and placement operations. The spreader bar assembly integrates lifting, stabilizing, and orientation control functions in a single modular unit. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized devices, thereby limiting the increase in system complexity while maintaining high precision orientation control
Solution Approach 2:
The spreader bar acts as an intermediary device between the lifting ropes and the pipe joint, providing a stable interface for orientation control. The spreader bar with its integrated lifting ropes and connection points serves as a mediator that simplifies the control architecture by consolidating multiple control functions into a single intermediate structure, reducing overall system complexity
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
The system ensures stable orientation and rapid, controlled rotation of pipe joints during transfer, minimizing collisions and human risks, while maintaining high operational efficiency and reducing operational and capital costs.
Implementation Method 1
one or more motor driven flywheels (32), each rotating about a dedicated flywheel axis (33), and an electrically controlled flywheel adjusting system (34) for adjusting an orientation of the flywheel axis (33) with respect to the spreader bar (13) to generate (due to the obtained gyroscopic effect) and apply a yaw rotation moment (about the vertical yaw rotation axis (17)) to the spreader bar (13)
Implementation Method 2
one or more motor driven lifting winches (12) for winding and unwinding the lifting ropes (10) and thereby lifting and lowering the crane hook (11)
Implementation Method 3
two or more motor driven tugger winches (19) or hoists positioned on the pipe lay vessel (4) for winding and unwinding two or more tugger lines (20) that can be extended with a horizontal distance (21) to each other and with a non-zero horizontal direction component from the two or more tugger winches or hoists (19) to one of the crane hook (11) and spreader bar (13) and connected thereto
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2D
Figure 2E
AI summary
A system (1) for the offshore crane transfer of pipe joints (2) from a pipe carrier vessel (3) to a pipe laying vessel (4) comprises a pipe carrier vessel (3) having a pipe transfer station (5), a pipelay vessel (4) having a pipe landing station (6), a boom crane (7) positioned on the pipelay vessel (4) with a spreader bar (13) hangingly connected to a crane hook (11), wherein the spreader bar (13) comprises electrically controlled pipe connectors (26) to connect a pipe joint (2) to the spreader bar (13), motor driven flywheels (32) rotating about dedicated flywheel axes (33), and an electrically controlled flywheel adjusting system (34) for adjusting an orientation of the flywheel axis (33) with respect to the spreader bar (13) to generate and apply a yaw rotation moment about a vertical yaw rotation axis (17) to the spreader bar (13).