Marine Cleaning Head Sealing Skirt and Suction System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for cleaning underwater vessel hulls are expensive and time-consuming, and uncontrolled in-water cleaning can release contaminants into the marine environment, posing risks to local species and ecosystems.

Innovation Solution

A marine cleaning system featuring a cleaning head with a sealing skirt, negative pressure generation, and a suction pipe to remove fouling material from submerged surfaces without releasing it into the environment, along with a separation and disinfection system to manage the removed material and water.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional dry-docking methods are used to clean vessel hulls, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but cost and time consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning effectivenessVSAvoidtime consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical dry-docking system with an in-water cleaning system that uses water jet technology and suction mechanisms to remove fouling from vessel hulls while submerged, eliminating the need for costly and time-consuming dry-docking procedures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs hydraulic jets to generate high-velocity water streams for impact cleaning and pneumatic/suction systems to remove detached fouling material, enabling effective cleaning operations while the vessel remains in water

Inventive Principle:

Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Productivity

If uncontrolled in-water cleaning is performed, then time consumption is reduced, but environmental contamination increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning efficiencyVSAvoidenvironmental contamination

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and removes fouling material from the water environment using suction devices, preventing contaminants from being released into the marine ecosystem while maintaining high cleaning productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a controlled containment environment around the cleaning zone using water curtains or enclosed chambers, isolating the cleaning process from the surrounding marine environment to prevent contamination while enabling efficient fouling removal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #39Inert atmosphere (Inert environment)

3Productivity

If in-water cleaning is performed without containment, then productivity is improved, but harmful factors increase due to contaminant release

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecleaning speedVSAvoidimpact on local species

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces water curtains, containment chambers, or filtration systems as intermediary elements between the cleaning process and the marine environment, allowing high-speed cleaning operations while protecting local species from harmful contaminants

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Enables efficient in-situ cleaning of submerged surfaces, minimizing environmental impact by containing and removing fouling material and contaminants, reducing the need for costly and time-consuming dry-docking procedures.

Implementation Method 1

a device for generating a negative pressure; and a suction pipe extending between said device and the cleaning head, the suction pipe being in fluid communication with a space defined between the body portion and the submerged surface during use; wherein during use when the cleaning head is disposed on the submerged surface, material separated from the submerged surface is drawn away from the cleaning head through the suction pipe

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNegative pressure: Pressure Gradient

Data Source

PatentUS9550552B2Marine cleaning system

Publication Date: 2017.01.24 GRD FRANMARINE HLDG

AI summary

A cleaning head for cleaning a submerged surface includes a body portion, and a skirt portion extending around a periphery of the body portion, the skirt portion performing a sealing function between the body portion and a submerged surface desired to be cleaned when the cleaning head is disposed on the submerged surface during use. The cleaning head also includes at least one cleaning member for causing material on the submerged surface to separate from the submerged surface when the cleaning head is disposed on the submerged surface during use, and at least one suction aperture in fluid communication with a space defined between the body portion and the submerged surface during use.