Long-Link Marine Anchor Chain for Lower Weight Mooring
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing marine anchor chains for floating renewable energy structures are heavy and material-intensive, leading to increased costs and energy consumption in manufacturing, logistics, and handling, while maintaining similar mechanical properties is a challenge.
Innovation Solution
A marine anchor chain design with links having a length between 6.5 and 8.5 times the nominal diameter, reducing weight and material usage while maintaining mechanical properties, achieved by increasing the length of standard links without altering diameter or thickness, and incorporating enlarged links for connection and stress resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If standard marine anchor chain links with length equal to 6 times the nominal diameter are used, then the chain meets ISO 1704 standard specifications, but the chain has high weight and material consumption leading to increased manufacturing costs and energy usage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the length parameter of chain links from the standard 6 times nominal diameter to a range of 6.5-8.5 times nominal diameter. This parameter modification reduces material consumption by at least 8% per meter of chain while maintaining the mechanical properties required for marine anchor chain applications, including strength and resistance to mechanical stresses.
2Weight of moving object
If chain links with increased length are used to reduce weight, then manufacturing cost and energy consumption decrease, but the mechanical strength and stress resistance may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the length parameter within a specific range (6.5-8.5 times nominal diameter) to achieve weight reduction while maintaining mechanical strength. This controlled parameter change ensures that the chain links are long enough to reduce material usage but not so long that they compromise structural integrity or stress resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction by combining standardised link geometries with optimized dimensional proportions. The chain links incorporate standardized width (3.35 or 3.6 times nominal diameter) combined with the optimized length range, creating a composite design that balances weight reduction with mechanical strength requirements for marine anchor chain applications.
3Reliability
If heavier chain equipment is used to ensure mechanical strength, then reliability is improved, but logistics and handling require more energy and heavier equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the length parameter of chain links to reduce overall chain weight by at least 8% per meter while maintaining reliability through standardized width proportions and optimized length ratios. This weight reduction directly decreases the energy required for logistics and handling operations, allowing for the use of lighter, more energy-efficient equipment without compromising chain reliability.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a marine anchor chain comprising a plurality of links (10) attached to one another, each of the links (10) has a nominal diameter (d), a length (L), and a width (W) which is equal to 3.35 times the nominal diameter (d) or a width (W) which is equal to 3.6 times the nominal diameter (d), and wherein the length (L) of each link (10) is greater than 6.5 times the nominal diameter (d), such that a marine anchor chain having a lower weight and using less material per length of chain compared with an anchor chain with common links is obtained.