J-Lay Tower Workstation Layout for Rigid-Flexible Pipe Laying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pipe-laying vessels cannot simultaneously lay rigid and flexible pipelines in J-lay configuration, and they struggle with handling bulky items at low tower angles, as they are not designed to handle flexible conductions coupled with rigid pipelines or manage bulky items effectively at low tilt angles.
Innovation Solution
A pipe-laying vessel with a J-lay tower featuring three separate workstations for processing, welding, coating, inspecting, and connecting flexible conduits to rigid pipelines, allowing for simultaneous laying of rigid and flexible pipelines in J-lay mode, with a tiltable tower capable of operating at low angles and a modular design for compactness and ease of transit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single workstation is used for processing pipeline, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity decreases due to sequential operations
Solution Approach 1:
The pipeline processing system is divided into three separate workstations (first, second, and third workstations) spaced apart along the tower, each capable of performing different operations such as welding, coating, and inspection simultaneously on different sections of the pipeline, thereby increasing overall productivity without requiring all operations at a single location
2Productivity
If the tower is made taller to accommodate more workstations, then the productivity increases, but the weight and volume of the tower increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of stacking workstations vertically in a single column, the workstations are arranged spaced apart along the length of the tower in a distributed configuration, allowing parallel operations to occur simultaneously at different heights and positions, thereby achieving high productivity with a lighter, more compact tower structure
3Adaptability or versatility
If the tower angle is reduced for low-angle operation, then the adaptability to different laying conditions improves, but the ability to handle bulky items deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tower is designed to be tiltable, allowing it to dynamically adjust its angle relative to the horizontal plane. This enables the tower to operate at low angles for certain laying conditions while maintaining the capability to handle bulky items when needed, as the tilting mechanism can be adjusted based on the specific operational requirements
4Manufacturing precision
If a rigid tower structure is used for stability, then the manufacturing precision improves, but the ease of transit and installation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The tower is constructed as a modular structure with multiple sections that can be assembled and disassembled. This segmented design allows the tower to be transported in compact sections and assembled on-site to achieve the required precision for pipeline laying, combining the benefits of modularity for transit with structural rigidity for precise operation
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention provides, for example, a pipe-laying vessel (100) including a pipe-laying tower (200) extending upwardly from the vessel, the vessel comprising at least three separate workstations (240, 260, 280) spaced apart along the length of the tower. The invention also provides a pipe-laying vessel (100) including a pipe-laying tower (200) extending upwardly from the vessel, the vessel comprising at least two clamping assemblies (250, 270) for clamping a pipeline, the clamping assemblies being mounted along the length of the tower, and at least one workstation (280) mounted on the tower, wherein the workstation (280) is mounted on the tower below a lowermost clamping assembly (270). The invention also provides a method of J-laying pipeline from a vessel (100), a method of abandoning a product (134) from a vessel (100), and a method of recovering a previously abandoned product (134) to a vessel (100).