Floating Hose Geometry Prediction for Offshore Ship Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge lies in efficiently guiding a ship to the second end of a floating hose, which can move due to water and wind currents, making it difficult to locate and couple with the hose efficiently, especially when the hose is long and has moved from its initial release point.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a swimming unit with a buoyant tube and a detection system that determines the current geometric arrangement and location of the hose relative to a coupling unit, transmitting this data to a base unit to predict the hose's future location and arrangement, allowing for precise navigation and coupling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the floating hose is made long to extend further into the sea, then the area of operation is improved, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring its location increases
Solution Approach 1:
The floating hose is divided into multiple hose segments, each equipped with node units containing radio units. This segmentation allows the system to track the position of individual segments through radio signal exchange, making the long hose detectable despite its extended length into the sea.
Solution Approach 2:
Radio units serve as intermediaries between the floating hose and the main unit on the buoy. These radio units transmit and receive signals to determine relative distances and positions, enabling indirect detection of the hose's geometric arrangement without direct visual or physical contact.
2Loss of time
If the floating hose is made long to remain in the sea between tankers, then the loss of time is reduced, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hose is segmented into multiple sections with distributed node units, allowing the system to manage the complexity of a long hose by breaking it into smaller, independently trackable units. Each node unit performs identical functions, simplifying the overall system architecture despite the increased number of components.
Solution Approach 2:
The node units along the hose autonomously determine their relative distances to each other through radio signal exchange without requiring external intervention. This self-service capability reduces the operational complexity of monitoring and managing the long floating hose.
3Ease of operation
If the floating hose moves freely with water and wind currents, then the ease of operation is improved, but the reliability of coupling with the hose deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system continuously monitors the geometric arrangement and location of the floating hose through radio signal exchange between node units and the main unit. This real-time feedback information is transmitted to the base unit, enabling dynamic tracking of the hose's position and orientation to guide the ship for reliable coupling.
Solution Approach 2:
The system determines prediction data about the future location and geometric arrangement of the floating hose before the ship arrives. This preliminary action allows the ship to plan its approach in advance, compensating for the hose's movement due to water and wind currents and ensuring reliable coupling.
4Measurement precision
If the detection system continuously monitors the floating hose location, then the measurement precision is improved, but the use of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The detection system operates by periodically exchanging radio signals between node units and the main unit to determine relative distances. This periodic measurement approach provides sufficient location precision while consuming less energy compared to continuous monitoring, as the system only activates measurements when position updates are needed.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a system (2) for ascertaining prediction data. The system (2) has a floating unit (4) and a remote base unit (6). The floating unit (4) has a coupling unit (8), a floating tube (10), and a detection system (12), a first end (14) of the floating tube (10) being connected to the coupling unit (8). The detection system (12) is designed to detect the actual arrangement of a current geometric arrangement of the floating tube (10) relative to the monitoring unit, and the detection system (12) is additionally configured so as to detect and/or ascertain the current geographical location of the floating unit (4) as the actual location. The detection system (12) is also designed to ascertain actual location data which represents the actual location and the actual arrangement, and the floating unit (4) is designed to transmit the actual location data to the base unit (6) via a signal connection (18). The base unit (6) is designed to receive current weather data as actual weather data which represents the current wind strength, the current wind direction, a prediction of the wind strength, and/or a prediction of the wind direction of the wind at the respective actual location, and the base unit (6) is also designed to receive current sea data as actual sea data which represents the current flow strength, the current flow direction, a prediction of the flow strength, and/or a prediction of the flow direction of the body of water at the respective actual location.